Behrend Track and Field Teams Perform at Mount Union Invitational
The Penn State Behrend men's and women's track and field teams were in action this weekend at the Mount Union Invitational in Alliance, OH.
Isiah Meek (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) was victorious in the 110-meter hurdles with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14.88. Mike Bartlett (Erie/Iroquois) and Joe Wilcher (Irwin/Penn Trafford) took third and fourth places in the 800 meters with times of 1:57.40 and 1:58.30, respectively. Brad Ruffo (West Middlesex/West Middlesex) was fourth in the 5000 meters with a time of 16:04.90. In the field events triple jumper Shane Rock (McKean/General McLane) was second with a distance of 43'5". Pole vaulter Donnie Hackworth (Monroeville/Gateway) took third spot in his event with a height of 14'6". Nick McGrady (Carnegie/Chartiers Valley) and Dan Mitchell (Bloomsburg/ Bloomsburg) took second and third positions in the javelin with distances of 174'2" and 164'7". Both men's relays placed thrird. The 4x100 meter relay team of Rock, Meek, Dennis Scheuer (McKean/General McLane), and Francis Kargbo (Burke, VA/J.W. Robinson) ran an ECAC qualifying time of 44.51. The 4x400 meter relay team of Wilcher, Barlett, Meek, and Kevin Shugars (Wexford/North Allegheny) also qualified for ECACs, running a time of 3:24.70.
On the women's side there were more strong performances. Leisl Soergel (Evans City/Butler) took second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:22.80 while Erica Smith (Polk/Franklin) took second in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 1:08.15. Both performances broke school records. Staci Banaszek (Erie/Harborcreek) placed in three jumping events. She was second in the high jump with a height of 5'1.75" and first in both the long jump and triple jump with ECAC qualifying distances of 17'1" and 36'8", respectively. Banaszek's long and triple jump marks also set new Behrend records. The women's 4x400 meter relay also had a great day. The team of Becky Gonzalez (Morrisville/Piscataway), Nicole Mineweaser (Warren/Warren), Soergel, and Smith placed third with a school record and ECAC qualifying time of 4:10.00.
The track and field teams are next in action at the Slippery Rock Invitational on April 16.
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