Michigan State University
Spartan Invitational
Spartans Impress In Only Home Meet of the Season
4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 12, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State track and field team had an impressive showing on a rainy afternoon at Ralph Young Field, as it hosted the Spartan Invitational, its only home meet of the season. Fighting through the lightning delays and the constant track maintenance, MSU dominated the competition, finishing first in 22 different events.
"I was pleased with the way we competed throughout the day," said MSU Director of Track & Field Walt Drenth. "Under the conditions today it would have been understandable to just go through the motions. The team is really beginning to improve the way they compete, which is a great sign of growth as a program."
The women's sprinters poured it on for Michigan State, taking first place in all three events. Senior Paris Mandy took top honors in the 100m dash, coming in with a time of 12.42, while red-shirt sophomore Tricia Kowalski came in first in the 200m, finishing at 24.54. In the 400m, junior Amber Shelters dominated the competition, placing first with a time of 56.54.
Senior Jackie Walton also enjoyed a strong day of competition in the 100m hurldes, crossing the finish line in first with a time of 13.89, while junior Jackie Gross ran her way to a first-place finish in the 800m (2:13.89).
Field events also were a strong point for MSU at the Spartan Invitational. Senior Chaquerra Allen took first in both the long jump (5.48m/17-11 3/4) and triple jump (11.60m/38-3/4), while senior Meagan Halliwill grabbed two first places of her own, in the discus (43.93m/144-1) and the hammer throw (54.54m/178-11). After her performance at the Colonial Relays last weekend, Halliwill took first in the hammer throw and discus for the second-straight week.
In women's pole vault competition, red-shirt freshman Katie Shaw (3.85m/12-7 1/2) and senior Stephanie Miller (3.55m/11-7 3/4) finished back-to-back, coming in first and second, respectively.
Not to be outdone, the men's field team had impressive performances of its own, as sophomore Scott Beals finished first in the javelin for the second-consecutive competition, finishing with a launch of 56.13m (184-2), almost 24-feet further than the second-place finisher. Senior Jason Brown finished in the top spot again as well, with a toss of 17.44m (57-2 3/4) in the shot put.
In jumps, freshman Kris Amos bested the competition, finishing with a leap of 2.00m (6-6 3/4) in the high jump, while freshman Kyron Foster took top honors in the triple jump, with a distance of 14.04m (46-3/4).
Despite the dreary afternoon, the men's sprinters managed to shine, taking home first-place finishes in both the 200m and 400m. Red-shirt junior Jeremy Orr outran his competitors once again, coming in with a time of 21.40 in the 200m, and junior Michael Smoot torched the competition, taking the 200m in 48.32.
In the 400m hurdles, red-shirt freshman Jake Hamilton also crossed the finish line in first with a time of 52.79.
In the men's distance competitions, sophomore Spencer Beatty outlasted his opponents, coming in first in the 3000m steeplechase (9:29.63), while red-shirt sophomore Ian Boyle took the 1500m with a time of 3:56.66.
The relay teams came up big for both the men and women on Saturday. The Spartan women came in first in the 4x100m (46.41) and the 4x400m (3:58.43), while the MSU men placed first in the 4x400m with a time of 3:18.69.
Players Mentioned
