Feb. 19, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's team conducted their final tune-up for the Big Ten Championships in strong fashion on Saturday, turning in a variety of top marks and career bests at the Boilermaker Invitational. The Boilermakers rolled through the small meet, winning the majority of events on both the men's and women's sides.
Freshman Dani Bunch improved both of her season-best marks, winning both the shot put and weight throw in the process. She edged out her top career throw in the shot put, hurling it 16.07 meters (52-08.75) to remain second all-time at Purdue, third in the Big Ten and 18th in NCAA Division I on the year. She stretched her mark in the weight throw to 20.06 meters (65-09.75), surpassing senior teammate Stacey Wannemacher for third all-time at Purdue and climbing to 12th on the national list in the event. Wannemacher took second in both events and improved her season-best mark in the weight throw as well. She threw 15.68 meters (51-05.50) in the shot put, and tossed 18.54 meters (60-10.00) in the weight throw, jumping to ninth in the conference standings.
Other top performances on the women's side came from junior Elise Glass, sophomore Camille Buscomb and freshmen Ebony Woodard and Ciana Tabb, who all won their respective events. Glass improved her career best in the 60-meter dash to 7.77 seconds, and Buscomb had an outstanding warm-up for next weekend's conference championships, turning in an 800-meter effort of 2:13.59. Woodard clocked one of the Boilermakers' top 200-meter dash races of the season, leading a 1-2 effort with classmate Taylor Morrison in 24.95, and Tabb lowered her season-best time in the 60-meter hurdles to 8.69 seconds.
On the men's side, senior Bill Hardcastle led the way, winning the men's shot put and improving his career best in the event. He built up some suspense on the day, waiting for his final throw and the last event of the meet to hurl 18.39 meters (60-04.00), remaining fifth on the Big Ten list and climbing to 17th in the nation. He also took second in the weight throw, marking 18.10 meters (59-04.75). Senior Jacob Palmer and sophomore Mitch Keyser posted a 1-2 finish in the 600-meter run, running a pair of career bests and climbing the Big Ten list in the process. Palmer's time of 1:19.72 will move him up to eighth on the conference list, while Keyser's mark of 1:20.02 is good for 11th.
Other victories on the day came from senior Chris Thoman and sophomore Geoff Davis, who won the men's pole vault and high jump, respectively. Thoman cleared 5.05 meters (16-06.75), while sophomore Geoff Davis scored another victory in the high jump, clearing 2.17 meters (7-01.50). Davis attempted to move his season best up to 2.22 meters (7-03.25), but came up short on the day.
The Boilermakers start the postseason next weekend as the men travel to Illinois for the Big Ten Men's Indoor Championships, while the Purdue women host the women's championship meet at Lambert Fieldhouse. For more information on the women's indoor championships visit the Boilermakers' championship website.