CORAL GABLES, Fla., and OXFORD, Ohio –The Purdue track & field team opened the 2023 outdoor season at the first day of the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida, and at the Blizzard Buster in Oxford, Ohio, on Friday.
Fifth-year Johnny Vanos won the hammer throw with a personal-best mark and senior Jessica Bray was second in the pole vault as 13 of the 17 Boilermakers to compete on Friday made their outdoor collegiate debuts.
Purdue's sprinters, jumpers and throwers are concluding a week-long training trip in South Florida at the Hurricane Invitational, hosted by Miami (Florida), while the Boilermaker distance squad ran at the Blizzard Buster on the campus of Miami (Ohio).
A week after he earned All-America honors in the weight throw to cap a historic indoor season, Vanos collected the win in the hammer throw with a collegiate-best mark to begin his outdoor campaign. Vanos' winning throw was 61.40 meters, which came on his sixth and final attempt. That was Vanos' third personal-record throw of the day, after a 60.16m on his first attempt and a mark of 60.36m on his second.
Bray cleared 3.90m to earn a runner-up finish in the pole vault. Freshman teammate Zoe Lamb also cleared 3.90m in her outdoor debut and was fourth overall on misses.
Also in the hammer throw, sophomore Cale Ayers (5th, 57.29m) and freshmen Leo Maxwell (6th, 54.64m) and Seth Allen (9th, 48.91m) made their outdoor collegiate debuts. Freshman John Hanson (4th, 51.14m) competed in his first outdoor meet in the discus, as did Allen (5th, 51.05m), Maxwell (11th, 46.33m) and Ayers (15th, 44.24m).
Two more freshman jumpers also donned the Old Gold and Black outdoors for the first time, with Danny Affleck (5th in the pole vault, 4.55m) and Bryanna Craig (5th in the high jump, 1.66m).
At the Blizzard Buster, all four Boilermakers in the 1,500-meters ran in their first collegiate outdoor meet, thanks to senior Meagan Hathaway (4th, 4:43.56) and freshmen Sarah Maggio (6th, 4:45.41), Katherine Rumsey (10th, 4:47.56) and Jaelyn Burgos (16th, 4:57.28). In the 800m, freshmen Olivia Phillips (4th, 2:24.80) and Caitlin Williams (2:29.00) ran in their first race on the outdoor track.
The Hurricane Invite concludes on Saturday, with field events at 11 a.m. ET and running events start at 1 p.m. The meet will close with the 4x400 relay at 3:50 p.m. Fans can follow along with live results from Cobb Stadium. Additional updates can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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 won the hammer throw with a personal-best mark and senior Jessica Bray was second in the pole vault as 13 of the 17 Boilermakers to compete on Friday made their outdoor collegiate debuts.
Purdue's sprinters, jumpers and throwers are concluding a week-long training trip in South Florida at the Hurricane Invitational, hosted by Miami (Florida), while the Boilermaker distance squad ran at the Blizzard Buster on the campus of Miami (Ohio).
A week after he earned All-America honors in the weight throw to cap a historic indoor season, Vanos collected the win in the hammer throw with a collegiate-best mark to begin his outdoor campaign. Vanos' winning throw was 61.40 meters, which came on his sixth and final attempt. That was Vanos' third personal-record throw of the day, after a 60.16m on his first attempt and a mark of 60.36m on his second.
Bray cleared 3.90m to earn a runner-up finish in the pole vault. Freshman teammate Zoe Lamb also cleared 3.90m in her outdoor debut and was fourth overall on misses.
Also in the hammer throw, sophomore Cale Ayers (5th, 57.29m) and freshmen Leo Maxwell (6th, 54.64m) and Seth Allen (9th, 48.91m) made their outdoor collegiate debuts. Freshman John Hanson (4th, 51.14m) competed in his first outdoor meet in the discus, as did Allen (5th, 51.05m), Maxwell (11th, 46.33m) and Ayers (15th, 44.24m).
Two more freshman jumpers also donned the Old Gold and Black outdoors for the first time, with Danny Affleck (5th in the pole vault, 4.55m) and Bryanna Craig (5th in the high jump, 1.66m).
At the Blizzard Buster, all four Boilermakers in the 1,500-meters ran in their first collegiate outdoor meet, thanks to senior Meagan Hathaway (4th, 4:43.56) and freshmen Sarah Maggio (6th, 4:45.41), Katherine Rumsey (10th, 4:47.56) and Jaelyn Burgos (16th, 4:57.28). In the 800m, freshmen Olivia Phillips (4th, 2:24.80) and Caitlin Williams (2:29.00) ran in their first race on the outdoor track.
The Hurricane Invite concludes on Saturday, with field events at 11 a.m. ET and running events start at 1 p.m. The meet will close with the 4x400 relay at 3:50 p.m. Fans can follow along with live results from Cobb Stadium. Additional updates can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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.