In the one-day Slippery Rock Bill Lennox Invitational, the Youngstown State track and field program tallied six event victories and a new school record en route to a successful day at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Elsewhere, a group of Youngstown State throwers posted strong marks at the Tiffin Reggie Thomas Classic.
For the second time in two calendar weeks, Wyatt Lefker has set a new school record in the men's pole vault, clearing a 5.21m bar. This time around, Lefker breaks his own record of 15.15m set on April 2 at the Northeast Ohio Quad in Youngstown.
Ethan Sparks (3000m run), Teddi Kinsey (100m hurdles), Collin Harden (100m dash), Wyatt Lefker (Pole Vault), Noah Drudy (Javelin) and Nia Williams-Matthews (triple jump) earned event victories in their respective events at the Bill Lennox Invitational.
Running Highlights
In just his second appearance in the event across his prolific track and field career, Collin Harden clocked a personal-best 10.88 in the men's 100m dash to earn an event win.
YSU posted two top-3 finishes in the men's 3000m steeplechase, including an event victory, as Ethan Sparks (9:52.92) and Chase Stewart (10:24.79) post personal-best times in the race to earn first and third-place finishes, respectively. On the women's side, Maggie Sebest, posing as YSU's only entry in the event¸ posted an 11:48.48 in the women's 3000m steeplechase to earn the silver.
Out of the blocks, Teddi Kinsey and Madison Murry went 1, 2 in the women's 100m hurdles, with Teddi clocking a blazin' personal-best time of 14.59m to take the gold. Just behind, Murry posted a 14.96 to tab the runner-up finish.
Mara Wilson, in the women's 400m hurdles, grabbed the Guins another runner-up finish, clocking 1:06.69 in the event.
The Penguins added three top-4 finishes in the women's 100m dash, led by Suerethia Henderson who earned a runner-up finish with a 12.27. Behind her, Logan Franczkowski, clocking a personal-best 12.51, and Antonella LaMonica (12.55) placed third and fourth in the event, respectively.
Madison Murry represented YSU's best finisher in the women's 200m dash, posting a 26.20 en route to a bronze medal in the event final.
Adding another third place finish to YSU's accumulation, Mikel Lagaras ran a 1:59.84 in the men's 800m run to post the best Penguins' finish of the day in the event.
Representing YSU in the men's 1500m run, Derek Basinger posted a 4:12.31 to earn a silver in the event and finish ahead of 19 entries. On the women's side, Ashley Ventimiglia (5:15.42) and Casey Zaitzew (5:22.45) posted top-6 finishes in a crowded women's 1500m run event, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
Field Highlights
Nia Williams-Matthews earned herself an event victory in the women's triple jump, jumping 10.95m to edge 10 competitors in the event.
For the second time during this 2021 outdoor season, Noah Drudy captured an event victory in the men's javelin throw, posting a 57.74m throw. Not to be largely outdone, teammate Noah Weese threw a 52.93m mark to finish fourth out of 11 competitors.
Grant Moore cleared 1.91m in the men's high jump competition, tying for the top mark in the event. However, was edged by the tie-breaking rules.
Led by Katlyn Griffie who cleared 3.68m to earn a second-place finish in the women's pole vault, the Penguins posted three top-4 finishes in the event. Emma Etzwiler and Sydney Walker cleared 3.38m to be part of a four-way tie for fourth place.
Teammates Kiersten Tricker and Rachel Jeffries were part of a three-way tie for third place in the women's high jump, both clearing 1.51m. Tricker matched her personal-best in the event.
Cambrie Campbell continued her success in the women's javelin throw event, posting a personal-best 42.57m mark to tab a fourth-place finish in the event. Teammate Olivia Jones rounded out the top-5 with a fifth-place mark of 41.82m.
Reggie Thomas Classic Highlights
Brock Grundy acted as the YSU's best finisher in the men's discus throw, posting a 48.19m mark in the event to post a top-5 finish. Teammate Austin Clay threw a mark of 38.52m to finish atop his flight and achieve the 19th-best throw of the day.
In the women's hammer throw, two Penguins found their way inside the top-15 posting 40-plus meter marks. Lauren Sheehan posted a 42.54m throw to finish 13th, just edging out teammate Emily Wolf who threw 42.30m.
Up Next
While a group of Penguins will compete in the second day of the Reggie Thomas Classic hosted by Tiffin University Saturday, April 17, YSU will back in action next weekend at a handful of meets: Slippery Rock Invitational, Hillsdale Gina Relays, Drake Relays and the Ashland Alumni Open.
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