KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Junior Felisha Johnson led a 1-2-3 sweep by the Sycamores in the women's shot put while junior Richelle Kimble won the women's pole vault and junior Leeann Michl won the women's 800 meter run at the 2012 Auburn Tiger Track Classic Invitational Saturday.
"We had a pretty good meet today," John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach, said. "We had several individuals that took advantage of this meet to perform well and several others who seem to be right on track in their training."
Indiana State women's track & field coach Angela Martin also thought the meet went well for the Sycamores.
"We started out slow on Friday but really performed well today," Martin said. "I think the women really gained a lot of confidence today. It was just amazing to watch them compete with several competing in multiple events and still performing at a high level. I am really excited about the rest of the season."
Johnson had a winning throw of 52-feet-5¼-inches (15.98 meters) on her second attempt to win the shot put with teammate Mary Theisen posting a career best throw of 50-feet-11-inches (15.52 meters) for second and Tara Perigo finished third with a throw of 45-feet-7¼-inches (13.90 meters). South Alabama sophomore Bobbie Williamson was fourth (44-feet-8¾-inches).
Kimble cleared a personal best height of 12-feet-11½-inches (3.95 meters) to win the women's pole vault which moves her to third on the ISU all-time list. Hannah McKnight also posted a personal best in the competition as she cleared 11-feet-1¾-inches (3.40 meters) and tied for eighth.
Michl came very close to breaking the school record in the 800 meters as she won by almost two seconds with a time of 2:06. 67. The time is just a half-second off the school record set in 2000 by current ISU women's head coach Angie Bruecker (Martin) of 2:06.05. Aja Jackson of the P2 Elite Track Club was second in 2:08.21 with Western Carolina sophomore Jocelyn Keen third in 2:08.82.
"I was really pulling for her to break the record," Martin said. "She looked really strong on the track today and she is getting better with each week. I am confident she will break that record soon."
Theisen also finished second in the women's discus with a personal best distance of 170-feet-7-inches (51.99 meters) with Johnson placing ninth at 146-feet-5-inches (44.62 meters). Nikki Snearley and Rachael Johnson each cleared 5-foot-3-inches (1.60 meters) with Snearley placed seventh and Johnson in a tie for eighth.
Kelly Steffen tied her personal best distance in the long jump at 18-feet-5¼-inches (5.62 meters) to place ninth while Carmelia Stewart as the top triple jumper for ISU as she had a personal best distance of 38-feet- 2¼-inches (11.64 meters) to place 14th.
Stacia Weatherford finished fourth overall, the second collegian and the top Division I athlete in the women's 400 meter hurdles with a time of 59.57 seconds.
Kalli Dalton ran the second fastest 3,000 meter steeplechase time in school history to finish second in 10:55.60 while Kristy Twitchell placed fifth in 11:20.21. Kacie Klem finished sixth in the 3,000 meter run in 10:01.93 while Macey Black ran a personal best 56.15 to finish ninth in the 400 meters. The 4x400 meter relay team of Weatherford, Macey Black, Kaci Smith, and Michl finished second in a season best 3:42.66.
On the men's side, Brad Adams ran to a third place finish overall (second collegian) in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.76 while Jeremiah Vaughan was fourth in the 1,500 meters in 3:48.19, Craig Padgett fourth in the 3,000 meters in a personal best 8:16.63, Greggmar Swift sixth overall but the third collegian in the 110 meter hurdles in 14.00, and Dustin Betz finished fourth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a personal best 9:11.95.
Kevin Piraino was 12th overall but the seventh collegian in the 400 meters with a time of 48.45 seconds while Corey Hahn placed eighth in the 800 meters in 1:54.30 and Albaro Escalera ran a personal best 8:21.02 to place fifth in the 3,000 meters. Ray Skamay was eighth overall and the sixth collegian in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.84. Piraino, Skamay, Arqeil Shaw, and Max Tuttle combined for a seventh place finish in the 4x400 relay in 3:14.52.
In the field events, Maurice Lyke was third in the long jump with a personal best distance of 23-feet-9-inches (7.24 meters), and Ernest Rollins tied for third in the triple jump with a distance of 48-feet-3½-inches (14.72 meters).
Robert Webb cleared 6-feet-7½-inches (2.02 meters) to place sixth in the high jump with Brandon Pounds 10th in the discus with a distance of 155-feet-8-inches (47.45 meters).
The Sycamores will be at home next weekend for the annual Pacesetter meet with Southern Illinois, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Butler providing the competition in the Friday and Saturday meet.
