Track and Field Has Strong Showing At MSU Invite

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State track and field team opened its indoor season against Central Michigan on Friday, Dec. 7 at Jenison Field House. The Spartans looked strong in their season debut placing first in 17 different events. MSU's Jonathon Allen competed unattached and took first place in the triple jump with a leap of 15.81 meters (51ft-10.4in), while Brittany Howard was first for the women long jumpers with a jump of 5.6 meters (18ft-4.25in). Michigan State red-shirt senior Kyle Strotbaum competed unattached and placed first in the weight throw with a distance of 17.08 meters (56ft-.5in), while Meagan Halliwill also placed first on the women's side with a throw of 18.49 meters (60ft-8in). Jackie Walton finished first for MSU in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.25, and freshman Erica Mann finished first in the 60m dash posting a time of 7.64.

"I've always thought that at every early-season event you are going to get mixed results, but I think most of our upperclassmen are really starting to understand what we expect from them from a competitive standpoint," MSU Director of Track and Field Walt Drenth said. "I'm really pleased with the way the women started off the day in the weight throw. Both Meagan (Halliwill) and Ashley (Lawrence) should score in the conference meet this year, after not scoring last year. Overall, I think that sprinters had a good day too. We are running marks that exceed our times from last year by a lot and I think we made a lot of progress this fall, and the work certainly has showed up. We've got great momentum building now and I think we should be able to improve our position this year in the Big Ten."

A number of Spartans captured first-place finishes at the MSU invite, including red-shirt senior Jeremy Orr who took first place in the 300m dash, finishing with a time of 33.75. Chaquerra Allen contributed with a first-place leap of 11.16 meters (36ft-7.5in) in the triple jump. Yury Ratomski tied for first in the men's 60m dash with Central Michigan's Marcell Maxwell, as they came in at a time of 6.96. Tiffany Evans (unattached) and Shane Knoll finished in first place for the both the women's and men's teams in the 1000m, coming in with times of 3:12.9 and 2:28.6, respectively.

The pole vaulters stepped up for MSU as Logan Lynch finished with a vault of 4.72 meters (15ft-6in) for the men's side, and Stephanie Miller vaulted a distance of 3.51 meters (11ft-6in), both taking home first place. Freshman Brad Wentzel captured first place for the Spartan men in the shot put posting a distance of 15.13 meters (49ft-7.75in), and Ashley Lawrence placed first for the women with a throw of 12.86 meters (42ft-2.25in).

The night concluded with a close finish as MSU's Amanda Robinson edged out her Central Michigan opponent in the women's 4x400 race. The team finished .26 tenths of a second ahead of CMU placing first with a time of 4:03.03.

Michigan State continues its indoor season on Jan. 11 at the Chippewa Open in Mount Pleasant, Mich.