BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Purdue track & field team earned a pair of wins and 10 runner-up finishes at the Hoosier Hills Invitational on Saturday in Bloomington, Indiana.
Senior Tamar Greene in the triple jump and freshman Geno Christofanelli in the 3,000-meter run collected wins as 10 Boilermakers made their collegiate or Purdue debuts. Six personal-best marks were set and the men's and women's squads had eight third-place finishes to go along with the two wins and 10 silver medals.
"I was really happy to see some of our men's upperclassmen finally get to perform today," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "Brian Faust in the 600 and Tamar Greene in the triple jump, and then Waseem Williams coming off major surgery, they all showed good form and I'm excited about that. Overall, all of the meets are a measure for us to see where we are as we prepare for the Big Ten Championships, and I'm quite happy with performance today.
"For the women, they're a young team and are continuing to show good form, highlighted by Alexis Zatta in the high jump. Our pole vaulters had struggled, but this meet showed an indication that they've turned the corner. Kerris Roberts also had a really good, strong showing, finishing third in a really good 60-meter dash. Samara Miller opened up as well, which was good to see."
The Hoosier Hills Invite opened the month of February and was Purdue's fourth meet of the indoor campaign, with two more meets before the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships at the end of the month. The Boilermakers competed against host-Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin at IU's Gladstein Fieldhouse. The IU men are No. 24 and the MSU women are No. 25 in the national rankings.
"We saw some solid teams today, with the Indiana men and the Ohio State women both the defending Big Ten champions, and Wisconsin's not a team to be reckoned with as well," Elliott added. "It was some really stiff competition for us. We are one meet shy of competing our entire team, and next week will be our full team at Iowa."
Greene's men's triple jump victory came as he made his 2021 indoor season debut. He earned a jump of 15.80 meters to beat out freshman teammate LJ Hill, who posted a mark of 15.01 to place second in his first collegiate triple jump appearance.
Christofanelli won the men's 3,000 with a personal-best time of 8:23.49 to lead a 1-2-3 finish for the Boilermakers. He was followed by freshman Alex Frey in second, who made his collegiate debut and finished in 8:33.25. Sophomore Ian Shaw, who also made his first collegiate appearance, was right behind Frey in third, with a time of 8:34.04. Additionally, freshman William White placed sixth in 8:44.05, a personal-best time.
The Boilermakers recorded three of the top four finishes in the women's high jump, led by junior Alexis Zatta, who was second with a jump of 1.77 meters. Sophomore My'Khiyah Williams finished third with a personal-best-tying mark of 1.65 meters, and junior Mackenzie Barrett placed fourth with a 1.60.
In the women's 600, senior Samara Miller placed second overall in 1:33.67 after she finished first in her heat. Sophomore Ella Robinson was right behind her in third with a 1:33.94.
Junior Isaiah Martin and sophomore Kerris Roberts each earned a second- and third-place finish. Martin was second in the long jump, with a jump of 6.91 meters, and was third in the 60-meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.16 seconds, just 0.02 seconds shy of his PR.
Roberts notched two season-best times. She was second in the 200 with a 24.00 to finish 0.04 seconds shy of the winner, and she opened the day with a 7.53 in the 60 finals.
In the men's 60, senior Waseem Williams finished second in the finals in 6.73 seconds after he recorded a 6.70 in the prelims in his season debut.
Sophomore Johnny Vanos continued his strong start to the season with a runner-up finish in the weight throw thanks to a season-best throw of 19.62 meters. He was fifth in the shot put with a mark of 16.19, also a 2021-best.
Junior Jessica Bray secured a season-best pole vault mark of 4.01 meters as she was second overall in the event.
The Boilermaker women placed second in the 4x400 relay. Freshman K'Ja Talley, sophomore Saran Kouyeth, Miller and Robinson crossed the line in 3:46.62. The men were third in their 4x400 relay, as freshman Jahn Riley, senior Brian Faust, junior Amir Harris and Williams finished in 3:19.46.
Freshman Deborah Obadofin made her collegiate debut and placed third in the triple jump, with a mark of 11.55 meters.
Sophomore Simi Akinrinsola notched two personal-best marks. Her first came in the weight throw, with a score of 17.73 meters to finish fourth. She was seventh in the shot put with a throw of 14.88. Freshman Kaia Harris also earned a personal-best throw of 15.91 meters to place fifth in the weight throw.
The day began with the women's 60-meter hurdles, where Talley placed fourth in the finals in 8.72 seconds and freshman Nikia Smith was fifth in 8.88 seconds while making her collegiate debut.
Faust's first race of 2021 came in the men's 600, where he was fourth in 1:20.69. Freshman Daniel Castellanos placed seventh in the event in 1:34.85 while making his collegiate debut.
Additionally, freshmen Emily Kim in the long jump, Logan Sandlin in the pole vault, Joey Kasch in the mile and Brady Hawks in the high jump all made their collegiate debuts on Saturday.
Up next, Purdue travels to Iowa City, Iowa, for the two-day Hawkeye B1G Invitational. The meet begins on Friday, Feb. 12, and continues on Saturday at the University of Iowa Recreational Building.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Senior Tamar Greene in the triple jump and freshman Geno Christofanelli in the 3,000-meter run collected wins as 10 Boilermakers made their collegiate or Purdue debuts. Six personal-best marks were set and the men's and women's squads had eight third-place finishes to go along with the two wins and 10 silver medals.
"I was really happy to see some of our men's upperclassmen finally get to perform today," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "Brian Faust in the 600 and Tamar Greene in the triple jump, and then Waseem Williams coming off major surgery, they all showed good form and I'm excited about that. Overall, all of the meets are a measure for us to see where we are as we prepare for the Big Ten Championships, and I'm quite happy with performance today.
"For the women, they're a young team and are continuing to show good form, highlighted by Alexis Zatta in the high jump. Our pole vaulters had struggled, but this meet showed an indication that they've turned the corner. Kerris Roberts also had a really good, strong showing, finishing third in a really good 60-meter dash. Samara Miller opened up as well, which was good to see."
The Hoosier Hills Invite opened the month of February and was Purdue's fourth meet of the indoor campaign, with two more meets before the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships at the end of the month. The Boilermakers competed against host-Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin at IU's Gladstein Fieldhouse. The IU men are No. 24 and the MSU women are No. 25 in the national rankings.
"We saw some solid teams today, with the Indiana men and the Ohio State women both the defending Big Ten champions, and Wisconsin's not a team to be reckoned with as well," Elliott added. "It was some really stiff competition for us. We are one meet shy of competing our entire team, and next week will be our full team at Iowa."
Greene's men's triple jump victory came as he made his 2021 indoor season debut. He earned a jump of 15.80 meters to beat out freshman teammate LJ Hill, who posted a mark of 15.01 to place second in his first collegiate triple jump appearance.
Christofanelli won the men's 3,000 with a personal-best time of 8:23.49 to lead a 1-2-3 finish for the Boilermakers. He was followed by freshman Alex Frey in second, who made his collegiate debut and finished in 8:33.25. Sophomore Ian Shaw, who also made his first collegiate appearance, was right behind Frey in third, with a time of 8:34.04. Additionally, freshman William White placed sixth in 8:44.05, a personal-best time.
The Boilermakers recorded three of the top four finishes in the women's high jump, led by junior Alexis Zatta, who was second with a jump of 1.77 meters. Sophomore My'Khiyah Williams finished third with a personal-best-tying mark of 1.65 meters, and junior Mackenzie Barrett placed fourth with a 1.60.
In the women's 600, senior Samara Miller placed second overall in 1:33.67 after she finished first in her heat. Sophomore Ella Robinson was right behind her in third with a 1:33.94.
Junior Isaiah Martin and sophomore Kerris Roberts each earned a second- and third-place finish. Martin was second in the long jump, with a jump of 6.91 meters, and was third in the 60-meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.16 seconds, just 0.02 seconds shy of his PR.
Roberts notched two season-best times. She was second in the 200 with a 24.00 to finish 0.04 seconds shy of the winner, and she opened the day with a 7.53 in the 60 finals.
In the men's 60, senior Waseem Williams finished second in the finals in 6.73 seconds after he recorded a 6.70 in the prelims in his season debut.
Sophomore Johnny Vanos continued his strong start to the season with a runner-up finish in the weight throw thanks to a season-best throw of 19.62 meters. He was fifth in the shot put with a mark of 16.19, also a 2021-best.
Junior Jessica Bray secured a season-best pole vault mark of 4.01 meters as she was second overall in the event.
The Boilermaker women placed second in the 4x400 relay. Freshman K'Ja Talley, sophomore Saran Kouyeth, Miller and Robinson crossed the line in 3:46.62. The men were third in their 4x400 relay, as freshman Jahn Riley, senior Brian Faust, junior Amir Harris and Williams finished in 3:19.46.
Freshman Deborah Obadofin made her collegiate debut and placed third in the triple jump, with a mark of 11.55 meters.
Sophomore Simi Akinrinsola notched two personal-best marks. Her first came in the weight throw, with a score of 17.73 meters to finish fourth. She was seventh in the shot put with a throw of 14.88. Freshman Kaia Harris also earned a personal-best throw of 15.91 meters to place fifth in the weight throw.
The day began with the women's 60-meter hurdles, where Talley placed fourth in the finals in 8.72 seconds and freshman Nikia Smith was fifth in 8.88 seconds while making her collegiate debut.
Faust's first race of 2021 came in the men's 600, where he was fourth in 1:20.69. Freshman Daniel Castellanos placed seventh in the event in 1:34.85 while making his collegiate debut.
Additionally, freshmen Emily Kim in the long jump, Logan Sandlin in the pole vault, Joey Kasch in the mile and Brady Hawks in the high jump all made their collegiate debuts on Saturday.
Up next, Purdue travels to Iowa City, Iowa, for the two-day Hawkeye B1G Invitational. The meet begins on Friday, Feb. 12, and continues on Saturday at the University of Iowa Recreational Building.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.