CHICAGO and CLEMSON, S.C. – Four top-10 marks in school history, all of them the best in their events in more than eight years, highlighted the Purdue track & field team's Saturday at the Windy City Invitational in Chicago and the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina.
At Clemson, juniors Rieko Wilford and Damazvia Dames moved up to No. 3 and No. 4 in school history in the triple jump with the best marks since 2014. Meanwhile in Chicago, junior Emma Squires and senior Payne Turney both entered the top-10 lists, at No. 4 in the 3,000-meter and No. 9 in the mile, respectively. Squires ran the fastest 3,000m since 2002 and Turney notched the best mile time since 2016.
The top-10 performances were four of six personal-record showings on Saturday, and the Old Gold and Black added three season-bests. Three top-three finishes were achieved. In total at the two-day meets, Purdue accumulated 12 PRs, six season-bests and seven top-three finishes.
While facing a highly competitive and nationally-ranked field, the Boilermaker distance runners, jumpers, combined event athletes and throwers were at Chicago's Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park. Purdue's sprinters and horizontal jumpers were at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex.
"This was, for the most part, the last tune-up before the Big Ten Championships," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "We split the team to give everyone the best opportunity to earn a spot and/or to move up in the Big Ten rankings. We accomplished just that, as several athletes improved on their lifetime bests. Emma Squires, Payne Turney, Rieko Wilford and Damazvia Dames in particular performed really well and had marks that are among the best Purdue has seen in a long time."
To open the day at Clemson, Wilford posted a pair of personal-best jumps, the second coming on her sixth and final attempt. That jump, at 12.89 meters, moved her up to second in the standings and No. 3 in Purdue history. Wilford's third jump of 12.70m was a PR by 0.04m, but still had her at No. 6 in the record books.
Dames' PR came on her first jump, with a mark of 12.83m. She rose to No. 3 all-time before Wilford eclipsed her, and Dames now sits at No. 4 in program history. She jumped up from No. 9 with her previous best of 12.49m. Dames placed third in the competition.
Both Wilford and Dames notched the best marks in the triple jump since the record of 13.00m was set by Cierra Brown in 2014. The current duo are the only two to have their names on the top-10 list since 2016, and the only ones in the top five since the record-setting jump in 2014.
In Chicago, Squires burst into the record book in the 3,000m. Her time of 9:28.12 is fourth in team history and the fastest by a Boilermaker since 2002. Squires bested her previous PR by nearly 12 seconds and became just the second runner to crack the top-10 list since 2014. She finished third overall in the event, which was Purdue's best finish on the weekend at the Windy City Invite.
Earlier in the day in Chicago, Turney stamped her name at No. 9 on the all-time list in the mile. She crossed the finish line in 4:47.12 to record the Boilermakers' best time since 2016. Turney ran the event 1.16 seconds faster than her previous PR, set two weeks ago. Her time was good for an eighth-place finish.
Also in the Windy City, grad student Nathaniel Getachew (3,000m, 8:16.58) and senior Caleb Williams (mile, 4:09.14) ran personal-best times. Grad student Ian Hunter (800m, 1:54.73) ran a season best. In South Carolina, sophomore Eric Young II (200m, 21.85) and the women's 4x400 relay, in 3:40.43, ran season-bests.
On Friday to open the two-day weekend, the Boilermakers notched three personal-record times and two season-bests in Chicago, with four top-five finishes. At Clemson, Purdue posted three PRs and a season-best, as two Boilermakers advanced to the semifinal and one earned a top-10 finish.
The Windy City Invitational featured 17 teams, including host-Wisconsin and fellow Big Ten foes Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Rutgers. Thirty-two NCAA teams were at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Along with host-Clemson, the field was comprised of Big Ten opponents Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.
The indoor regular season concludes next weekend with a return trip to Notre Dame on February 17 for the Alex Wilson Invitational. The following weekend, the Boilermakers will head to the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships in Geneva, Ohio, from February 23-24.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
At Clemson, juniors Rieko Wilford and Damazvia Dames moved up to No. 3 and No. 4 in school history in the triple jump with the best marks since 2014. Meanwhile in Chicago, junior Emma Squires and senior Payne Turney both entered the top-10 lists, at No. 4 in the 3,000-meter and No. 9 in the mile, respectively. Squires ran the fastest 3,000m since 2002 and Turney notched the best mile time since 2016.
The top-10 performances were four of six personal-record showings on Saturday, and the Old Gold and Black added three season-bests. Three top-three finishes were achieved. In total at the two-day meets, Purdue accumulated 12 PRs, six season-bests and seven top-three finishes.
While facing a highly competitive and nationally-ranked field, the Boilermaker distance runners, jumpers, combined event athletes and throwers were at Chicago's Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park. Purdue's sprinters and horizontal jumpers were at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex.
"This was, for the most part, the last tune-up before the Big Ten Championships," Purdue coach Norbert Elliott said. "We split the team to give everyone the best opportunity to earn a spot and/or to move up in the Big Ten rankings. We accomplished just that, as several athletes improved on their lifetime bests. Emma Squires, Payne Turney, Rieko Wilford and Damazvia Dames in particular performed really well and had marks that are among the best Purdue has seen in a long time."
To open the day at Clemson, Wilford posted a pair of personal-best jumps, the second coming on her sixth and final attempt. That jump, at 12.89 meters, moved her up to second in the standings and No. 3 in Purdue history. Wilford's third jump of 12.70m was a PR by 0.04m, but still had her at No. 6 in the record books.
Dames' PR came on her first jump, with a mark of 12.83m. She rose to No. 3 all-time before Wilford eclipsed her, and Dames now sits at No. 4 in program history. She jumped up from No. 9 with her previous best of 12.49m. Dames placed third in the competition.
Both Wilford and Dames notched the best marks in the triple jump since the record of 13.00m was set by Cierra Brown in 2014. The current duo are the only two to have their names on the top-10 list since 2016, and the only ones in the top five since the record-setting jump in 2014.
In Chicago, Squires burst into the record book in the 3,000m. Her time of 9:28.12 is fourth in team history and the fastest by a Boilermaker since 2002. Squires bested her previous PR by nearly 12 seconds and became just the second runner to crack the top-10 list since 2014. She finished third overall in the event, which was Purdue's best finish on the weekend at the Windy City Invite.
Earlier in the day in Chicago, Turney stamped her name at No. 9 on the all-time list in the mile. She crossed the finish line in 4:47.12 to record the Boilermakers' best time since 2016. Turney ran the event 1.16 seconds faster than her previous PR, set two weeks ago. Her time was good for an eighth-place finish.
Also in the Windy City, grad student Nathaniel Getachew (3,000m, 8:16.58) and senior Caleb Williams (mile, 4:09.14) ran personal-best times. Grad student Ian Hunter (800m, 1:54.73) ran a season best. In South Carolina, sophomore Eric Young II (200m, 21.85) and the women's 4x400 relay, in 3:40.43, ran season-bests.
On Friday to open the two-day weekend, the Boilermakers notched three personal-record times and two season-bests in Chicago, with four top-five finishes. At Clemson, Purdue posted three PRs and a season-best, as two Boilermakers advanced to the semifinal and one earned a top-10 finish.
The Windy City Invitational featured 17 teams, including host-Wisconsin and fellow Big Ten foes Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Rutgers. Thirty-two NCAA teams were at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Along with host-Clemson, the field was comprised of Big Ten opponents Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.
The indoor regular season concludes next weekend with a return trip to Notre Dame on February 17 for the Alex Wilson Invitational. The following weekend, the Boilermakers will head to the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships in Geneva, Ohio, from February 23-24.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.