Track: WVU Excells at Doug Raymond Invite
January 13, 2007 07:13 PM | General
January 13, 2007
MEET RESULTS
KENT, OHIO – The West Virginia University track & field team competed for the first time since Dec. 2 and won five events at the Doug Raymond Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Kent State Field House. Four Mountaineers also qualified for the BIG EAST Championship.
“I was very pleased with the overall effort today,” says sixth year coach Jeff Huntoon. “I told the girls just to be competitive and run tough and they all did that.”
Freshman April Rotilio led WVU, winning both the 60 meter dash (7.76) and the 200 meter dash (24.91). Both times qualify the Bellaire, Ohio, native for the BIG EAST Championship.
Junior Shani Boone followed Rotilio across the finish line in the 200 meter dash, taking fourth with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 25.41.
Senior Halimah Bashir placed second and sophomore Raeleen Hunter placed seventh in the 400 meter dash with times of 58.81 and 1:00.12, respectively.
The Mountaineers had strong performances in the distance events as well. Junior Nicole Lemal finished third in the one mile run (5:27.65) and junior Maria Stover earned her own third place finish in the 800 meter run, clocking in at 2:23.69. Additionally, the distance medley relay team took first with a time of 12:27.70. Bashir, along with sophomores Kerry Davis, Clara Grandt and Karly Hamric, comprised for the win.
Junior Abbie Stechschulte and freshman Kristen Loughry were the final two BIG EAST qualifiers for WVU. Stechschulte took first (8.63) and Loughry followed at sixth (8.91) in the 60 meter hurdles. Stechschulte also took first in the long jump (5.65 meters).
The 4x400 relay team was the fifth and final victory for the Mountaineers. Bashir, Rotilio, senior Jessica Czaikowski and junior Ishonte Johnson-Peters ran to first with a time of 3:57.82.
For the field events, senior Alexis Noel took fourth in the high jump (1.55 meters) and freshman Kristen Loughry took third in the pole vault (3.35 meters).
The Mountaineers will split-up next week and compete at two meets. Eight athletes will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Arkansas Invitational on Jan. 19-20. The rest of the team will compete on Jan. 20 at the Penn State Quad.
