Track & Field Heads to Prestigious Jesse Owens Classic
4/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 29, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State track & field program will continue its outdoor season when it travels to Columbus, Ohio for the Jesse Owens Classic hosted by Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, April 30-May 1. Saturday's action will be tape delayed on the Big Ten Network on Saturday, May 8. Action opens on Friday at 2 p.m. and will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Last Time Out...
The Spartans competed at the both the Drake Relays and the Purdue Outdoor Open last weekend (April 23-24). Friday began with a bang in when Brad Wentzel increased his school record in the hammer throw by 1.21-meters with a toss of 59.69m at the Purdue Open to finish first overall. Overall, MSU opened the competitions strong, placing first in three events on Friday. On Saturday, seven Spartans finished tops in their respective events on the day.
Record-Breaking Spartans...
Midway through the outdoor season, the Spartans have already rewritten the MSU record books during the 2010 season. So far, five school records have been broken - three indoor and two outdoor:
Outdoor:
• Emily MacLeod
1,500m run (4:19.67) - Sun Angel Classic
• Brad Wentzel
Hammer Throw (59.69m (195-10)) - Purdue Outdoor Open
Indoor:
• Rebecca Buchholtz (tied)
High Jump (1.81m (5-11.25)) - Big Ten Championships
• Kyron Foster
Triple Jump (16.21m (53-2.25)) - NCAA National Championships
• Brad Wentzel
Weight Throw (19.75m (64-09.75)) - Grand Rapids Championships
Climbing the Rankings...
The MSU track & field team celebrates 12 Spartans that are ranked in the top-50 in the latest national poll - seven women and five men. Leading all Spartans is Emily MacLeod ranking 15th in the 1,500m run. MacLeod also sits 28th in the 5,000m run. Ranking 24th in the high jump is Kurt Schneider, and ranking 32nd in the 3,000m steeplechase is Spencer Beatty. The Spartan women have two discus throwers ranked in Ashley Lawrence (28th) and Beth Rohl (39th). Lawrence is also ranked 42nd in the shot put. Keenan Michael currently comes in at 34th in the 400m hurdles, while Shane Wells ranks 44th in the 110m hurdles. Logan Lynch rounds out the men's top-50 ranking 39th in the pole vault. Currently, the 4x100m relay team of Leslie Aririguzo, Erica Mann, Amelia Bannister and Charelise Davis is 37th nationally. Rebecca Buchholtz claims the 42nd best mark in the high jump.
Next Up...
MSU will remain within the state of Michigan when it travels to Ann Arbor for the Len Paddock Invite hosted by the University of Michigan. Competition is scheduled to begin on Friday, May 7, and conclude on Saturday, May 8.
Players Mentioned
