WVU Notches Two Victories at the Bison Classic
April 17, 2016 07:46 PM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With perfect weather over the weekend, the West Virginia University track and field team notched two victories and posted four top-five finishes on the final day of the Bison Outdoor Classic, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Today was highlighted by West Virginia grabbing two victory titles in the long jump and pole vault, as well as four top-five finishes: one in the 100-meter hurdles, one in the long jump, one in the pole vault and one in the 400 meters. The Mountaineers also recorded multiple career-best and season-best times.
“We had a very good weekend,” said coach Sean Cleary. “The weather was perfect, and with that came the many performances that we were looking for. The vast majority of our group had either lifetime or seasonal-best marks. If we can get a few more weekends like this, we will be setting ourselves up for a very successful season. For those that did compete up to the standards that have been set for them, it's very simple. Go home, take care of business in practice and in the classroom. Time management is imperative as we draw closer to the post season and final exams. Only those that can manage both aspects of their lives will be standing when the last important meet arrives.”
Sophomore Shamoya McNeil took the long jump title, leaping a career-best 5.80 meters. McNeil improved .81 meters from her previous best set in the 2015 indoor season. Freshman Danique Bryan notched a top-five finish, placing fifth with a season-best mark of 5.78 meters.
For the second weekend in a row, senior Tori Bertrand owned the pole vault title. She won the event today with a mark of 3.75 meters. Sophomore Sarah Finfrock placed in third, vaulting a season best 3.60 meters. Finfrock also matched her personal best that was set in the 2016 indoor season.
In the 100-meter hurdles sophomore Meghan Jean-Baptiste took fourth place with a time of 14.86. Stone placed 17th with a time of 15.21.
Sophomore Bria Welker ran in the 400-meter dash, placing fifth with a personal-best time of 56.61. Welker shed .59 seconds off her previous best set in the 2014 indoor season.
WVU’s freshman Chaqieta Robinson took 15th in the 400-meter hurdles to finish with a personal-best time of 1:04.58, improving 2.23 seconds from her previous best set at the Wake Forest meet earlier in the year.
Two Mountaineers competed in the 200-meter dash, placing within the top 16 and earning career-best times. Senior Hannah Stone finished in 13th with a career-best time of 25.76, shedding .38 seconds from her previous best set at this year’s Wake Forest Open. Welker finished in 16th with a season-best time of 25.95, improving .71 seconds from her previous best set at the Wake Forest Open this season.
Baptiste also competed in the 200-meters, placing 21st in a career-best time of 26.02 to improve .3 second from her previous best set in the 2015 indoor season. Robinson placed 23rd, achieving her second personal-best time of the today, with a 26.03 time. She improved immensely by 1.03 seconds from her previous best time set in the 2016 indoor season.
In the 800 meters, sophomore Rebecca Wendt finished in 24th in 2:15.16.
Bryan competed in the 100-meter dash, her second event of the day to place 25th overall with a time of 12.88.
On Saturday, Stone tied for second place in the high jump with a season-best mark of 1.70 meters. Freshman Faith Penny placed ninth, jumping 1.65 meters. Sophomore Meghan Jean-Baptiste came in 13th with a 1.60 meters mark.
In the 1,500 meters, junior Megan Yuan placed 12th, crossing the finish line in 4:29.71.
Sophomore Allie Diehl competed in the 5,000-meter run unseeded, placing 21st in a career best, 18:06.96, improving 16.69 seconds from her previous best
In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Corinne Kule finished in 22nd place with a time of 17:28.25.
Up ahead, the Mountaineers will compete at the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Friday, April 22.
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