KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
BLOOMINGTON, IND. - Indiana State sophomore Greggmar Swift had the fastest time in the 60 meter hurdle preliminaries and will be joined in Saturday's semifinal by sophomore teammate Duane Brown as the first day of the Indiana Relays concluded Friday at Indiana University.
Swift ran in the first of eight heats of the 60 meter hurdle preliminaries and recorded the top time of 7.95 seconds. Brown was also in the opening heat and finished second in the heat and fourth fastest overall with a personal best time of 8.16 seconds. Senior Robert Webb finished 28th overall with a time of 8.68 seconds.
The Sycamores will also have a representative in the women's 60 meter hurdle semifinals as junior Stacia Weatherford was clocked in 8.80 seconds and 11th fastest overall. Freshman Carmelia Stewart ran a personal best 9.16 seconds (26th overall) while freshman Taylor Gilles ran 9.34 seconds (37th overall).
ISU sophomore Maurice Lyke won the men's long jump competition with a leap of 23'-0.75" (7.03 meters) which is four inches short of his personal best mark.
Senior Steven Swinford tied for second in the men's pole vault by clearing a personal best 16'-0.75" (4.90 meters). The height ties him for 11th best all-time with Brian Josheph (1994) and Peter Skoumal (2002). Freshman Wes Schenk cleared a personal best 15'-7" (4.75 meters) to tie for sixth while red-shirt junior Tucker Field cleared 15'-1" (4.60 meters) to tie for eighth.
Senior Robert Webb and freshman Jonathan Christensen tied for second in the high jump by clearing 6'-8" (2.03 meters) with freshman Stephen VanDyke tying for seventh at 6'-4" (1.93 meters). Sophomore Chris Fields threw a personal best 54'-2.75" (16.53 meters) to place fourth in the shot put.
On the track, sophomore Max Tuttle ran the 10th fastest 600 meter time in school history to finish second with a personal best time of 1:20.86, less than a second behind Eastern Illinois' Sean Wiggin who won in 1:19.70. Sophomore Kevin Piraino finished third in the unseeded 200 meters as he was timed in a personal best 21.93 seconds. Junior Justin Baxtron was ninth in 22.10.
Junior Dustin Betz placed fifth in the mile with a personal best time of 4:15.22 while senior Jeremiah Vaughan ran in the Invitational Mile and finished eighth (fourth collegian) with a time of 4:06.83. Freshman Taylor Head competed in the 3,000 meters and finished 12th in 8:46.23 while senior Craig Padgett ran in the Invitational 3,000 meters and finished 12th in 8:33.29.
Former Sycamore Jordan Fife, now running for Team Indiana Elite, won the Invitational 3,000 meters with a time of 8:14.10.
In the field events for the Sycamore women, junior Mary Theisen placed third in the weight throw with a distance of 57'-6.5" (17.54 meters), sophomore Shelby Higginbottom seventh in the long jump with a leap of 17'-8.75" (5.40 meters), and sophomore Hannah McKnight tied for 15th in the pole vault by tying her personal best at 11'-1.75" (3.40 meters).
Junior Leeann Michl led the ISU women on the track by placing seventh (the sixth collegian) in the Invitational 600 meters with a personal best time of 1:32.29 which is the third best in school history. Freshman Nicole Lucas ran a personal best 10:22.89 to place 11th in the 3,000 meters.
The distance medley relay team of sophomore Kalli Dalton, junior Macey Black, senior Kristy Twitchell, and senior Kacie Klem placed fourth out of the 15 teams entered with a time of 12:00.65 which is the ninth fastest time in school history.
The Indiana Relays will conclude Saturday starting at 10 a.m. (ET) beginning with Felisha Johnson throwing in the Invitational Weight Throw. Johnson and Theisen will also compete in the Invitational Shot Put with Nicole Hope and Richelle Kimble going in the Invitational Pole Vault, Brandon Pounds in the men's Invitational Weight Throw, and Andrew Stull running in the Invitational 200 meters.
The regular meet will feature competition in the 200, 400, and 800 meters along with the concluding event, the 4x400 meter relay, which is slated to begin 5:15 p.m. (ET).
