KENT, Ohio – The Youngstown State track and field program returned to competition-form Saturday, posting 33 top-5 finishes and six event wins at the Doug Raymond National Qualifier hosted by Kent State University.
YSU earned event victories following the individual performances of sophomores Jahniya Bowers (60m, 200m), Lonnie Harper (high jump), Morgan Cole (mile) and Chase Easterling (3000m) and freshman Ryan Meadows (5000m).
Bowers clocked her fastest 60m dash of the 2021 indoor season, posting a 7.48 in the final heat while taking the gold in the race. She clocked a 24.77 in the 200m.
Field Events Bubble
Beginning the morning session with scheduled field events, sophomore Lonnie Harper highlighted the Penguins' performance, winning the men's high jump with a mark of 2.11m and setting a new personal-best in the event. The mark also sits second all-time in program history. Not far behind, fellow-sophomore Grant Moore finished fourth in the event (1.96m).
YSU notched second-place finishes in three events – Dominic Perry posted 16.36m in the shot, Jakari Lomax notched a 15.00m triple jump and Katlyn Griffie cleared 3.73m (personal best) in the pole vault.
Senior Daiquain Watson recorded the Penguins top-finish in the long jump, jumping 7.07m and finishing third in the event. Sophomore Tye Hunt finished fifth (6.91m).
Acquiring two top-five finishes in the women's long jump, freshman Stephanie Simon (5.60m) and senior Jessica Stever (5.59m) finished fourth and fifth in the event, respectively.
Track Events Bubble
The Penguins wasted no time recording notable finishes in the afternoon session as Cole (5:06.35) and senior Natalie Fleming (5:12.70) claimed the top-two spots in the women's mile.
In the men's 3000m, Easterling (8:30.29) continued to show his dominance in the event, winning the race for the second time in two heat-appearances during the 2021 indoor season. Junior Ethan Sparks (8:43.39) placed third in the race.
Meadows earned his first event win on the season, clocking the fastest time in the men's 5000m while posting a 15:10.40.
Freshman Ty Coon posted a second-place finish in the men's mile, running a season-best time of 4:21.22. Fellow-freshman Jack Aulbach (4:23.06) finished closely behind, finishing third while setting a new personal best.
Junior Lauren Dolak tallied another impressive showing in the women's 800m, posting a 2:18.94 and taking the silver in the event. Sophomore Charlotte Crouch (2:20.47) finished inside the top-five, placing fifth.
Adding blocks to the track did nothing but improve the placements for YSU, as the Penguins swept the top three places in the women's 60m and 200m.
With Bowers taking the crown in both events, junior Suerethia Henderson (7.63) took second and sophomore Kyndia Matlock (7.64) took third in the 60m. This was Matlock's third top-3 finish in the event on the season.
In the 200m, Matlock posted the second-place time of 25.36, with freshman Madison Murry (25.54) crossing the line a split-second later to take the bronze. Freshman Logan Franczkowski (25.86) rounded out the top-five with a fifth-place finish in the event.
Murry (8.77) added another notable individual finish in the 60m hurdles, finishing second and posting a new personal record in the event. Fellow-freshman Teddi Kinsey (9.15) finished fifth.
Other Notable Finishes
Sophomore Julia Magliocca posted 10:29.66 3000m, finished fourth.
Sophomore Christian Ford clocked 22.18 60m (finished fourth), 7.03 60m (finished fifth).
Freshman Nia Williams-Matthews recorded 10.97m triple jump, finished fifth.
Freshman Emma Etzwiler cleared 3.58m pole vault, finished fifth.
Senior Teneisha Myers clocked 58.64 400m, finished fifth.
Up Next
The Penguins will be back in action Feb. 20 when they return to Kent State University for the Kent State Tune Up.
