May 1, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams combined for three event victories and several other outstanding placewinning performances at Butler's Stan Lyons Invitational, hosted by the Bulldogs at IUPUI's Michael A. Carroll Track & Field Stadium on Saturday evening. The three Boilermaker victories came from sophomore Stephanie Bonk and freshmen Ciana Tabb and Mitch Erickson as Bonk took the women's 5,000-meter run, Tabb topped the women's 100-meter hurdles and Erickson led a 1-2-3 finish in the men's pole vault.
Bonk ran just shy of her career best to win the 5K, turning in a time of 17:33.13 to top a field of more than 40 competitors. Tabb also nearly cracked her personal record in the 100-meter hurdles, crossing the line in 14.23 seconds (just 0.04 off her PR) despite a 1.2 mph headwind. Tabb was also third in the women's 200-meter dash, finishing in 25.09 seconds in a 1.4 mph headwind. Erickson narrowly posted an outdoor season best, clearing 5.06 meters (16-07.25) to lead Purdue sophomore Kyle Campbell and freshman Zack Saunders in a sweep of the men's pole vault. Campbell also had a slight season best, matching Erickson's height, while Saunders cleared just 4.87 meters (15-11.75).
The Purdue men had several solid showings in the distance area as senior Caden Shields and sophomore Charles White finished second and third in the 5,000-meter run, while freshman Stephen Schulz was fourth in the 1,500-meter run. Shields crossed the line in 14:50.72 in just his second race of the year, while White completed the race in 15:01.03. Schulz offered one of the fastest 1,500-meter efforts by a Boilermaker male this season, finishing in 3:52.21.
The women's throwers had a few solid efforts as sophomore Meghan Kessler was fifth and eighth in the shot put and discus, respectively, junior Emily Leckenby was eighth in the hammer throw and juniors Elaine Gilbert and Kylie Hermanson were sixth and eighth in the javelin. Gilbert tossed over 37 meters for the second straight weekend, marking 37.34 meters (122-06).
The Boilermakers will see their final regular season action on Friday, heading down to the University of Indiana for the Billy Hayes Invitational.