GENEVA, Ohio – A pair of silver medals and one bronze for the Purdue track & field team highlighted the opening day of the 2023 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, on Friday.
Fifth-year Johnny Vanos and freshman Bryanna Craig were the Big Ten runners-up in the weight throw and pentathlon, respectively, while junior LJ Hill claimed bronze in the long jump. They were joined by the men's distance medley relay team to reach the podium on Friday, and another seven Boilermakers advanced to tomorrow's finals on the track. A total of nine top-10 marks in school history were achieved, including by Vanos and Craig, on the first day of the two-day conference championship meet.
Vanos' silver medal came with the second-best throw in school history in the weight throw, thanks to a mark of 22.12 meters. He earned his first career Big Ten medal and third podium finish with the best throw by a Boilermaker since 2015. Vanos was in fifth place after two attempts, but a throw of 21.76m on his third attempt moved him up to fourth. His fifth throw of 22.12m was what secured the runner-up finish by 0.07m.
Vanos bested his previous PR of 21.10m and remains ranked No. 13 in the NCAA in the event this season.
In her Big Ten Championships debut, Craig won a silver medal in the pentathlon with 4,046 points. The personal-record mark ranks No. 4 in school history and is Purdue's best since 1997. Craig, in just her second collegiate pentathlon competition, becomes the fifth Boilermaker ever to eclipse 4,000 points. She moved up from fifth all-time and 3,968 points, achieved in her pentathlon debut.
Craig's day began with a seventh-place 60m hurdle time of 8.79, followed by a runner-up high jump finish of 1.73m. A personal-best shot put throw of 10.47m followed, and she was in fourth place through three events. A long jump PR was next, with a 5.67m-jump to finish fourth, which moved Craig up to third. She finished with an 800-meter time of 2:15.09 to propel her up to second overall.
Hill collected his first Big Ten medal and reached the podium for the fourth time in his career. A personal-record jump of 7.48m earned him the bronze medal, and it came on his third attempt. That moved Hill up from eighth place, after jumps of 7.06m and 7.21m. Hill's third jump proved to be his best, which allowed him to secure the medal by 0.01m.
Purdue concluded the first day with a podium finish, as the men's distance relay squad was eighth overall. The foursome of junior Caleb Williams, sophomore Owen Schafer, freshman Kiefer Bell and sophomore Brady Yoder placed eighth in 9:48.35.
As Bell was part of the relay team to finish the day, he also opened the day in the men's mile prelim, where he was fifth overall in 4:06.09. He advanced to the final with the fifth-fastest time in Purdue history and the fastest since 2020.
One event later, sophomore Brett Otterbacher punched his ticket to the final, also with a top-10 time. In the men's 400m, he was fourth in 47.15, which put him in the record books for the first time in the event at No. 7.
Junior Cierra Williams advanced to the final in the women's 400m courtesy of a time of 53.33. As she finished sixth overall, she improved on her time that is No. 5 in school history.
Fifth-year Justin Becker qualified for the finals in both events he competed in, the 60m and 200m. He ran the fastest 200m prelim time of 20.97, a mark that also moved him up to sixth in program history. Becker's day began with a 6.73 in the 60m to place fourth overall, also good for a final run tomorrow.
Freshman Zachary Evans was right behind Becker in fifth in the 60m prelims. He was first in his heat to automatically qualify for Saturday's final.
In the 60m hurdle, junior K'Ja Talley was ninth in 8.36 to advance to the final. Right behind her was fellow junior Nikia Smith in 10th place. She finished in 8.45 to climb one spot in the record books to No. 9.
Fifth-year Camille Christopher took sole possession of No. 6 in team history in the 60m. She finished in 7.43, Purdue's fastest time since 2017, and was 12th overall.
Senior Saran Kouyeth jumped up three spots in the record book to No. 7 all-time in the 200m. Her mark of 23.85 was 10th in the prelims.
Junior Logan Sandlin recorded three personal-best marks in the first four events of the heptathlon. He has 2,599 points thanks to PRs in the 60m (7.29), shot put (11.48m) and high jump (1.73m).
Collegiate-best marks also were earned by Evans (200m, 21.31), Schafer (400m, 48.67), junior Jahn Riley (400m, 47.95), sophomore Ezra Lewellen (60m, 6.81) and freshmen Danny Affleck (pole vault, 4.90m) and Eric Young II (200m, 21.54). Affleck's pole vault clearance is the best by a Boilermaker, indoors or outdoors, since 2015.
The championships conclude on Saturday, beginning with Sandlin in the final three events of the heptathlon at 11 a.m. ET. Purdue's first field event is the men's triple jump at noon, and running events commence at 1:20 p.m. with the mile final. The meet will close with the 4x400 relay at 4:55 p.m.
Fans unable to cheer on the Boilermakers in person can follow along with live results and watch all the action live on B1G+ (Saturday Field | Saturday Track), with a B1G+ subscription required. Championships information, including the complete schedule, is available at BigTen.org/ITFChamps. Additional updates from Geneva also can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Fifth-year Johnny Vanos and freshman Bryanna Craig were the Big Ten runners-up in the weight throw and pentathlon, respectively, while junior LJ Hill claimed bronze in the long jump. They were joined by the men's distance medley relay team to reach the podium on Friday, and another seven Boilermakers advanced to tomorrow's finals on the track. A total of nine top-10 marks in school history were achieved, including by Vanos and Craig, on the first day of the two-day conference championship meet.
Vanos' silver medal came with the second-best throw in school history in the weight throw, thanks to a mark of 22.12 meters. He earned his first career Big Ten medal and third podium finish with the best throw by a Boilermaker since 2015. Vanos was in fifth place after two attempts, but a throw of 21.76m on his third attempt moved him up to fourth. His fifth throw of 22.12m was what secured the runner-up finish by 0.07m.
Vanos bested his previous PR of 21.10m and remains ranked No. 13 in the NCAA in the event this season.
In her Big Ten Championships debut, Craig won a silver medal in the pentathlon with 4,046 points. The personal-record mark ranks No. 4 in school history and is Purdue's best since 1997. Craig, in just her second collegiate pentathlon competition, becomes the fifth Boilermaker ever to eclipse 4,000 points. She moved up from fifth all-time and 3,968 points, achieved in her pentathlon debut.
Craig's day began with a seventh-place 60m hurdle time of 8.79, followed by a runner-up high jump finish of 1.73m. A personal-best shot put throw of 10.47m followed, and she was in fourth place through three events. A long jump PR was next, with a 5.67m-jump to finish fourth, which moved Craig up to third. She finished with an 800-meter time of 2:15.09 to propel her up to second overall.
Hill collected his first Big Ten medal and reached the podium for the fourth time in his career. A personal-record jump of 7.48m earned him the bronze medal, and it came on his third attempt. That moved Hill up from eighth place, after jumps of 7.06m and 7.21m. Hill's third jump proved to be his best, which allowed him to secure the medal by 0.01m.
Purdue concluded the first day with a podium finish, as the men's distance relay squad was eighth overall. The foursome of junior Caleb Williams, sophomore Owen Schafer, freshman Kiefer Bell and sophomore Brady Yoder placed eighth in 9:48.35.
As Bell was part of the relay team to finish the day, he also opened the day in the men's mile prelim, where he was fifth overall in 4:06.09. He advanced to the final with the fifth-fastest time in Purdue history and the fastest since 2020.
One event later, sophomore Brett Otterbacher punched his ticket to the final, also with a top-10 time. In the men's 400m, he was fourth in 47.15, which put him in the record books for the first time in the event at No. 7.
Junior Cierra Williams advanced to the final in the women's 400m courtesy of a time of 53.33. As she finished sixth overall, she improved on her time that is No. 5 in school history.
Fifth-year Justin Becker qualified for the finals in both events he competed in, the 60m and 200m. He ran the fastest 200m prelim time of 20.97, a mark that also moved him up to sixth in program history. Becker's day began with a 6.73 in the 60m to place fourth overall, also good for a final run tomorrow.
Freshman Zachary Evans was right behind Becker in fifth in the 60m prelims. He was first in his heat to automatically qualify for Saturday's final.
In the 60m hurdle, junior K'Ja Talley was ninth in 8.36 to advance to the final. Right behind her was fellow junior Nikia Smith in 10th place. She finished in 8.45 to climb one spot in the record books to No. 9.
Fifth-year Camille Christopher took sole possession of No. 6 in team history in the 60m. She finished in 7.43, Purdue's fastest time since 2017, and was 12th overall.
Senior Saran Kouyeth jumped up three spots in the record book to No. 7 all-time in the 200m. Her mark of 23.85 was 10th in the prelims.
Junior Logan Sandlin recorded three personal-best marks in the first four events of the heptathlon. He has 2,599 points thanks to PRs in the 60m (7.29), shot put (11.48m) and high jump (1.73m).
Collegiate-best marks also were earned by Evans (200m, 21.31), Schafer (400m, 48.67), junior Jahn Riley (400m, 47.95), sophomore Ezra Lewellen (60m, 6.81) and freshmen Danny Affleck (pole vault, 4.90m) and Eric Young II (200m, 21.54). Affleck's pole vault clearance is the best by a Boilermaker, indoors or outdoors, since 2015.
The championships conclude on Saturday, beginning with Sandlin in the final three events of the heptathlon at 11 a.m. ET. Purdue's first field event is the men's triple jump at noon, and running events commence at 1:20 p.m. with the mile final. The meet will close with the 4x400 relay at 4:55 p.m.
Fans unable to cheer on the Boilermakers in person can follow along with live results and watch all the action live on B1G+ (Saturday Field | Saturday Track), with a B1G+ subscription required. Championships information, including the complete schedule, is available at BigTen.org/ITFChamps. Additional updates from Geneva also can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.