WVU Travels to SPIRE for Weekend Meet
February 07, 2019 04:00 PM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University track and field team travels to the SPIRE Division I Classic, from Feb. 8-9, in Geneva, Ohio.
The two-day competition at the SPIRE Institute Indoor Track & Field Facility is set to commence on Friday at 2 p.m., with Saturday's action scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
"This is another big weekend for us," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "We've been fortunate to have very mild weather for training recently, and we've tried to take advantage of it. We know this meet presents some different challenges for us, some exciting competition and a terrific venue for a big meet. With more and more girls getting fit for competition, we are very much looking forward to it."
This weekend marks the first time WVU will compete at SPIRE since the 2014-15 campaign. West Virginia is joined by more than 25 teams at the meet, including Bowling Green, Dayton, DePaul, FIU, George Mason and others.
Last time out, the Mountaineers combined to earn 11 top-eight finishes, including two wins, at the 15th Annual Akron Invitational, from Feb. 1-2, in Akron, Ohio. Redshirt senior Bria Welker led West Virginia with a victory in the women's 400 meters (blue division) with a time of 57.04. She also teamed with redshirt freshmen Marianne Abdalah and Hayley Jackson and freshman Mikenna Vanderheyden to win the women's distance medley relay (gold division) in 11:54.35.
WVU also tallied four second-place finishes at Akron, highlighted by redshirt senior Madelin Gardner's performance in the women's pole vault (gold division). Gardner earned a season-best mark of 4.32 meters (14 feet, 2 inches) in the event, good for No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference and tied for No. 10 nationally this season.
Additionally, Jackson took second in the women's 800 meters (gold division) after crossing the finish line in a lifetime-best time of 2:10.37, while redshirt junior Faith Penny finished second in the women's high jump (blue division) with a mark of 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches).
Freshman Peter-Gay McKenzie also recorded a second-place finish at Akron, earning a mark of 5.48 meters (17 feet, 11.75 inches) in the women's long jump (blue division).
In this week's United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) #EventSquad Rankings, WVU ranks No. 23 nationally in the women's pole vault. West Virginia also is featured in the top three of three Big 12 events. Along with Gardner, Jackson ranks No. 3 in the league in the 1,000 meters (2:48.70), while the distance medley relay team (Jackson, Welker, Vanderheyden and freshman Samantha Hatcher) also sits No. 3 with a top time of 11:40.72.
The SPIRE Division I Classic marks the Mountaineers' fifth consecutive weekend competition. The team will compete for a total of seven straight weeks, which includes the 2019 Big 12 Indoor Championship, from Feb. 22-23, in Lubbock, Texas.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The two-day competition at the SPIRE Institute Indoor Track & Field Facility is set to commence on Friday at 2 p.m., with Saturday's action scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
"This is another big weekend for us," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "We've been fortunate to have very mild weather for training recently, and we've tried to take advantage of it. We know this meet presents some different challenges for us, some exciting competition and a terrific venue for a big meet. With more and more girls getting fit for competition, we are very much looking forward to it."
This weekend marks the first time WVU will compete at SPIRE since the 2014-15 campaign. West Virginia is joined by more than 25 teams at the meet, including Bowling Green, Dayton, DePaul, FIU, George Mason and others.
Last time out, the Mountaineers combined to earn 11 top-eight finishes, including two wins, at the 15th Annual Akron Invitational, from Feb. 1-2, in Akron, Ohio. Redshirt senior Bria Welker led West Virginia with a victory in the women's 400 meters (blue division) with a time of 57.04. She also teamed with redshirt freshmen Marianne Abdalah and Hayley Jackson and freshman Mikenna Vanderheyden to win the women's distance medley relay (gold division) in 11:54.35.
WVU also tallied four second-place finishes at Akron, highlighted by redshirt senior Madelin Gardner's performance in the women's pole vault (gold division). Gardner earned a season-best mark of 4.32 meters (14 feet, 2 inches) in the event, good for No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference and tied for No. 10 nationally this season.
Additionally, Jackson took second in the women's 800 meters (gold division) after crossing the finish line in a lifetime-best time of 2:10.37, while redshirt junior Faith Penny finished second in the women's high jump (blue division) with a mark of 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches).
Freshman Peter-Gay McKenzie also recorded a second-place finish at Akron, earning a mark of 5.48 meters (17 feet, 11.75 inches) in the women's long jump (blue division).
In this week's United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) #EventSquad Rankings, WVU ranks No. 23 nationally in the women's pole vault. West Virginia also is featured in the top three of three Big 12 events. Along with Gardner, Jackson ranks No. 3 in the league in the 1,000 meters (2:48.70), while the distance medley relay team (Jackson, Welker, Vanderheyden and freshman Samantha Hatcher) also sits No. 3 with a top time of 11:40.72.
The SPIRE Division I Classic marks the Mountaineers' fifth consecutive weekend competition. The team will compete for a total of seven straight weeks, which includes the 2019 Big 12 Indoor Championship, from Feb. 22-23, in Lubbock, Texas.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Track & Field
Multi
/ Track & Field
High Jump
/ Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Track & Field
Hurdles/Sprints
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