IOWA CITY, Iowa -
Western Illinois men's and women's track teams competed at the Francis X.
Cretzmeyer meet on Saturday (April 17), hosted by the University of Iowa. It
was the first outdoor event held at the Hawkeyes Stadium in two years.
The Fighting Leathernecks women turned in several outdoor season-best performances. The 4x400 relay team won the
event in 3:57.06. Miranda Brockman, Katie Jay, Amy Byers and Julie Dietsch
brought home the title.
Byers nearly surpassed her season-best time in the 400-hurdles, but did take
second place in 1:03.67. Dietsch placed fifth in the 800-meters, shattering her
season-best time in 2:20.13.
Alexa Williams' time of 11:01.44 in the 3,000 meters placed her fourth. The pole
vault trio of Faith Chew, Brianne Marriot and Tyra Woodruff all turned in
season-best heights. Chew finished second clearing 11-7.75. Marriot actually
cleared the same height but was tied for third in the standings. Woodruff
cleared 10-8 to take eighth place.
Katelyn Moore joined in the season-best distances, finishing second in the long
jump (16-10.75) and fourth in the triple jump (34-9.75). Lizzy Jones' 132-2
discus distance marked the best effort this outdoor season and was good for
fifth place.
Western's men turned in a third place finish in both the 4x100 and 4x400
relays.
Nykese Griffin, Ray Richardson, Paul Anderson and Kyle Austin turned in a time
of 42.37 in the 4x100. Jeremy Streater, Brian Pinta, Mike Hemming and Richardson
ran a 3:19.63 in the 4x400.
Richardson turned in a fourth place finish in the 100-meters
(10.87) while Pinta placed fifth in the 400-hurdles (54.41).
Mike McGraw also turned in a fifth place finish, running the 3,000-meters in
8:43.58.
In the field events, Lawrence Hardin cleared 6-8.75 in the high jump. He placed
fourth but his height tied for second-best.
Jeff Veal took fifth with a height of 13-5.25 in the pole vault. Jason Crisman
and Paul Hames placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the shot put. Crisman
turned in a distance of 50-2 while Hames threw 48-5.25.
The Fighting Leathernecks return to action next Saturday (April 24) at the Stan
Lyons Invitational in Indianapolis.
