Women’s 4×400 Sets New Mark on Final Day of GLIACs
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Michigan Tech wrapped up the 2015 GLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Hillsdale College today. The men’s team finished ninth of 14 teams while the women were 15th of 16.
One new Tech school record fell during the day’s action, and that came from the women’s 4×400 meter relay team of Aimee Allen, Liz Bloch, Jamie Dompier and Lauren Raiford. The foursome posted a time of 3:53.82 to place sixth in the race and shave five seconds off the old record (3:58.65 in 2014).
Raiford was the other point scorer for the women’s team today with an eighth-place result in the 400 meters. She ran a 58.92 for the fourth-best time in Tech history.
Jani Lane, a 2014 All-American in the 1,500 meters, finished fourth in that event today with a 3:56.12. Teammate Kyle Hanson also placed with a 4:00.12 clocking in eighth position.
The surprise of the day came from Jake Jurkowski in the pole vault. The sophomore turned in a new PR at 15-3 for fourth place and the second-best height in Tech history.
Senior Calvin Nitz closed out his career with an eighth-place showing in the 5,000 meters. He clocked a 15:06.88 for the 10th best time in program history.
The Huskies 4×100 relay team of Antwon Curtis, Nate Hood, Jevon Maddox and Isaac Pringle also scored with an eighth-place result. Their time of 42.97 was eighth-best in the Tech annals.
“I think we’ve really improved from where we were last year at this time,” said Tech coach Joe Haggenmiller. “We still have a lot of young athletes that will hopefully continue to improve and keep us going in that direction.”
Three athletes (Lane, Sean Pengelly and Jason Saliga) have run provisional qualifying times for the NCAA Championships, which will take place May 21-23 in Allendale, Mich. Lane is the only one currently inside the top 20 on the national list of performances. He has the eighth-best 1,500 time in Division II this season.
(COURTESY MICHIGAN TECH ATHLETICS)