Women’s Track and Field Claim Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational Title

Seven titles were won on final day of competition

Full Results

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's track and field team claimed the 2016 Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational title Saturday (April 16) afternoon, as the Leathernecks tallied 194.5 points en route to its first Lee Calhoun title since 2006. The men's side finished in fifth place with 77.5 points. On the day, five individuals and two relays earned event titles.

"Things couldn't have gone much better on the women's side," said head coach Mike Stevenson. "Coming away with the team title, the first in a decade, is a pretty good thing. Many athletes had great performances and they are starting to realize some of their potential. The men's team had many great performances as well, they just didn't turn it into as many team points. The meet was a first-class event and a lot of people from Western Illinois University pulled together to make it a great event. My hat is off to all the helpers, volunteers, and officials who made it a great meet."

The women's team got out to a fast start, winning the 4x100 relay title in the second event of the day in season-best time of 48.81. WIU's 4x400 relay capped the competition when the quartet of Kaliyah Cobb, Phyllis George, Alyssa Johnson, and Sierra Woods posted a time of 3:56.01. The time bests the previous season-best for the 4x400 team by five seconds.

Cobb would go on to have a standout meet, as the junior would claim individual titles in the 100 and 200 meter dash events. Cobb posted a wind-aided time of 11.90 to take the 100 and a career-best 24.93 in the 200. She would share the podium in both events, as Woods finished third in the 100 (12.17) and second in the 200 with a season-best time of 25.10.

Johnson took home the 800 title when she ran to a time of 2:13.56, a new season-high.

Tevin Taylor and Sheila Grant-Shaffer each earned top honors in the field in the triple jump and shot put, respectively. Taylor's jump of 43-11 ¾ is a new season-best, while Grant-Shaffer's mark of 43-7 ¼ is also a season-best.

Three different Leathernecks took home second in field events, as Max Ford (javelin - 183-03), Mary-Bianca Fuller (discus - 121 – 11) and Jeff Padesky (pole vault - 15-06 ¼) each contributed to the team score. Josh Thomas ran to a second-place finish in the men's 400 hurdles with a time of 54.97 while George did the same in the women's 400 (58.32).

Grant Kaiser found the podium twice in the distance events, finishing third in both the men's 1,500 (4:04.37 – personal best) and 5,000 (16:05.60).

Western's women's team dominated the shot put, as three Leathernecks placed in the top five. Following Grant-Shaffer's top finish was a third-place showing by Abbi Smith (39-0 ¾) and a fifth-place effort by Jasmine Swanagan (38-08 ¼).

The Purple and Gold would see three more third-place finishes out of Megan McGlone, Loucreasha Smith, and Khalyia Lawson. McGlone's bronze came in the 100 hurdles (15.27), Smith posted a time of 1:16.68 in the 400 hurdles, and Lawson jumped to a mark of 16-9 ¼.

Western Illinois returns to action next Saturday (April 23) for the Illinois Twilight, hosted by the University of Illinois.