Two Penguins tied school-record marks during the Youngstown State track and field program's two-meet Friday slate at Grand Valley State's Big Meet and the annual Kent State Doug Raymond National Qualifier on Feb. 11.
Big Meet Highlights
Matching former-Penguin standout sprinter Jaliyah Elliott's school record 60m dash time of 7.25, Jahniya Bowers took Friday's event with a new GVSU Kelly Family Sports Center facility record and personal-best mark. Bower's time also qualifies as the country's 13th-fastest time clocked during the 2021-22 indoor season.
Logging a 7.49m (24' 7") mark, Tye Hunt matched Daiquain Watson's school record length in the men's long jump for the day's top performance in the event. Adding to his day, Hunt matched the eighth-fastest 60m dash time in YSU history, taking sixth in Friday's final heat with a time of 6.86. Hunt matches former-Penguin Jerill Hall's mark clocked during the 2009 indoor season. Samuel Challis finished just behind Hunt in the long jump competition with a 7.20m (23' 7½") leap for runner-up in the event.
Nicole led all Penguin finishers in the women's mile, running the second-quickest event performance in YSU history with a time of 4:55.96. Squatrito slashed personal-best time, owning the program's previous second-best mark in the event (4:56.33). Natalie Fleming finished closely behind, recording only the fourth sub five-minute mark in school history with a time of 4:59.71.
Clearing a 2.11m (6' 11") bar, Lonnie Harper upped the second-best high jump mark in school history from his previous personal-best jump of 2.10m (6' 10¾") for a third-place nod in Friday's event. Terron Taylor finished fifth clearing 1.99m (6' 6¼").
Morgan Cole turned in the second-quickest 3000m time in program history, slashing her previous personal-best by 12 seconds with a time of 9:42.06 for a sixth-place overall finish in the event. In the men's race, Hunter Christopher also set a new personal-best, posting the third-fastest men's 3000m mark in school history with a time of 8:15.26 for ninth.
Propelling her into Friday's final heat, Madison Murry clocked the third-fastest women's 60m hurdles mark in school history with a personal-best time of 8.55. Murry's time was the second-fastest preliminary mark of the afternoon. Murry would go onto placed third in the event, running a time of 8.61 in Friday's final.
First-year Penguin Luke Laubacher recorded an eighth-place finish during Friday's men's 60m hurdles event final, clocking a time of 8.27. Laubacher recorded the fifth-quickest preliminary mark of the day with a time of 8.12.
Pacing the Penguins in the event, Chase Easterling clocked the school's seventh-fastest 3000m run in program history with a personal-best time of 8:22.40 for seventh place in the heat. Not far behind, Tyler Clark posted the eighth-fastest mark in school history with a personal-best time of 8:22.69 for eighth.
In the men's event, Ty Coon clocked the 10th-fastest mile in program history with a personal-best time of 4:14.50 for 31st. Not to be outdone, Ethan Sparks also turned in a new personal-best with a time of 4:14.83 to cross in 33rd.
Karissa Sonneberger highlighted YSU's 5000m effort, clocking a new 2021-22 season-best time of 18:06.99.
Jakari Lomax recorded a 14.43m (47' 4¼") leap in the men's triple jump on his fourth attempt to finish third in the event.
Doug Raymond National Qualifier Highlights
Leading the charge in the men's long jump, first-year Penguin Andrew Frank logged a ninth place finish with a 6.77m (22' 2½") leap.
Austin Clay highlighted the Penguin effort in the men's weight throw, throwing 14.36m (47" 1') for 11th in the event. Mitch Cook finished 13th with a 14.19m (46' 6") chuck. In the women's competition, Molly Radcliffe lead all YSU finishers with a 14.23m (46' 2") and 22nd-place finish. Emily Wolf (14.03m) and Lauren Sheehan (14.01m) finished 24th and 26th, respectively.
On the track, Hailey Zelinsky (19:36.24) and Maria Dellimuti (20:07.31) went 18, 21 in the women's 5000m run.
Up Next
The Penguins are back to compete for second-day competition at Grand Valley State and Kent State. Flying solo, Anthony Woods is set to compete in American Track League Eastern Indoors on Saturday at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The event will be televised on ESPN2 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST.
