Leathernecks conclude regular-season competition at Illinois Invitational

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Western Illinois track and field team compiled many top-10 finishes as it competed in its final regular-season competition at the Illinois Invitational, Friday.

On the women's side, Julie Dietsch recorded a top-five finish as she took fourth place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:19.50. Katie Jay finished the 400-meter dash in 57.92, landing eighth place of 22 runners. Alexa Williams finished in the top half of the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:54.50. Heather Wetzel took 11th place in the 1500-meter run with a time of 5:03.35.

Leading four Western Illinois athletes in the 400-meter hurdles, Amy Byers landed ninth place of 28 runners with a time of 14.92. Alexis Atkins, Talisa Watson and Miranda Brockman followed with times of 15.73, 15.74 and 15.82, respectively.

In the 4x400 relay, the Fighting Leathernecks finished just ahead of Western Michigan with a third-place time of 3:51.23. Brianne Marriot finished in the top half of the pole vault as she reached 3.35m. Danielle Gunn took ninth place in the long jump with a distance of 5.00m, teammate Katelyn Moore reached 4.89m in the same event. Moore went on to take fourth place in the triple jump, reaching 10.52m.

Of the throwers, Jessica Ortega had a top-10 finish, reaching 11.71m in the shot put. Also in the shot put, Lizzy Jones reached 11.00m, Jenna Verity reached 10.04m and Jennifer Hill reached 9.40m. Jones went on for a second top-10 finish as she took ninth place in the discus with a distance of 39.47m. In the hammer, Ortega finished fifth with a distance of 46.99m, while Jones contributed an 11th place finish with a distance of 39.25m.

On the men's side, Ray Richardson finished the 100-meter dash in seventh place of 25 runners with a time of 10.87. Nykeese Griffin and Kyle Austin followed Richardson's lead finishing in ninth and 10th places, respectively. Richardson went on to take another seventh place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.69. Austin and Griffin finished in 10th and 11th with times of 22.06 and 22.14, respectively.

Aaron Russo finished sixth of 23 in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57.23. Mike Hemming followed Russo with a time of 1:58.11 for an eighth-place finish. Both Tyler Buckles and Eric Anerino finished in the top half of the 1,500-meter run with times of 4:02.13 and 4:02.88, respectively. Luke Miller (4:08.31), Jeremy Whitaker (4:09.15) and Mike McGraw (4:11.52) followed in the event. Chase Marlow took second place in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:33.06.

In hurdles, Mitch Thompson took sixth place with a time of 15.04 in the 110-meter hurdles. Brian Pinta led the way in the 400-meter hurdles as he finished third with a time of 52.97. Matt Leal finished on the heels of Pinta as he crossed in 53.89. Jeff Liles also landed a top-10 finish as he took sixth with a time of 54.68 in the same event.

Western's 4x100 relay team finished in second place with a time of 41.54. The Leathernecks' 4x400 relay team combined for a fifth-place finish with a time of 3:18.26.

In the field, Lawrence Hardin landed sixth place in the men's high jump, reaching 1.93m. Jason Crisman took fifth place in the shot put with a mark of 16.09m. Brayden Sherrick (14.75m), Tyler Lippert (14.42m), Paul Hames (14.29m) and Sam Dancer (13.50m) followed Crisman's lead in places 10th through 13, respectively. Hames went on to take second place in the discus throw with a mark of 49.43m. Crisman took fifth in the same event with a distance of 45.92m. Hames also took sixth place in the hammer throw with a mark of 48.95m. Jesse Bernahrdt wrapped up throwing events as he took third place in the javelin throw with a mark of 48.73.

The Western Illinois track and field team returns to competition at The Summit League Championships held in Toledo, Ohio, May 13-15.

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