Weekly Release #16
5/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Fri-Sat., May 5-6 -- at Toledo Invitational (Toledo, Ohio)
Fri-Sat., May 12-13 -- hosts Len Paddock Invitational (Ferry Field)
Wolverines Travel to Toledo for Final Regular-Season Road Meet
The University of Michigan men's track and field team closes out the road portion of its outdoor schedule with a trip to Toledo, Ohio, for the Toledo Invitational at the University of Toledo Track. The Wolverines will compete in the Toledo Invitational against some of the top athletes in the country from schools including Air Force, Michigan State, Xavier and Eastern Michigan.
Michigan Passes on Jesse Owens Classic
The Wolverines were originally scheduled to participate in the Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, May 7, but have decided to forgo that meet and send a full squad to the Toledo Invitational on Saturday (May 6).
Sheffer Returns to Toledo
Michigan sophomore pole vaulter Brent Sheffer (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS) returns to site of his best career pole vault when the Wolverines travel to the Toledo Invitational on Saturday. A year ago Sheffer delivered a personal-best vault of 16-8 3/4 to win his only event of the outdoor season, on May 1, 1999.
Michigan Relays Hope for Repeat at Toledo Invitational
Michigan's trip to the Toledo Invitational will bring back some good memories for several Wolverines after the 1999 Toledo Invitational represented one of Michigan's best meets of the 1999 outdoor campaign. In addition to Brent Sheffer's win in the pole vault, the Wolverines earned three other event victories, including both relays.
All eight competitors from Michigan's two relay wins a year ago return for the Maize and Blue this season. Michigan's 1999 4x400-meter relay winning quartet of Ravi Smith (Southfield, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup HS), Ike Okenwa (San Diego, Calif./Morse HS), Steve Moffat (Villa Park, Calif./Villa Park HS) and Josh Sellers (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee HS) turned in an NCAA provisional time of 3:12.86.
Okenwa joined Steve Jenkins (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech HS), Brad Haudan (Maumee, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit HS) and Steve Molnar (Menominee, Mich./Menominee HS) to provide a winning time of 40.98 in 4x100-meter relay. Smith also set a personal best in the 400-meter dash (47.87), with a third-place finish at the 1999 Toledo Invitational.
Rogers on a Roll
Michigan junior thrower Nick Rogers (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm HS) has won two consecutive shot put events as he heads back to the Toledo Invitational, where he won the shot put in 1999 with a heave of 53-0 1/4. Rogers won the shot this past Saturday (April 29) at the Hillsdale Relays with a toss of 51-8 1/2 after winning that same event one week earlier at the Ohio State Triangular (April 22) with toss of 53-1 3/4. Rogers owns Michigan's season-best shot put of 53-7 3/4, which he set at the Duke Invitational (April 8).
Wisniewski Moves Up
Michigan junior distance runner Mike Wisniewski (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS) provided Michigan's top individual effort of the weekend with his runner-up finish in the 10,000-meter run at the Penn Relays on Thursday (April 27). Wisniewski's time 29:05.12 is an NCAA provisional qualifying time and a Wolverine season best. In addition, Wisniewski's personal-best time of 29:05.12 moves him up to fourth in the Big Ten Conference rankings and 17th in the national rankings.
Derr Uses Penn Relays to Climb Rankings
Michigan junior thrower Andy Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) recorded his top javelin throw of the season with a throw of 200-1 at the Penn Relays on Saturday (April 29). Derr's Michigan season-best toss of moves him up to the seventh spot in the Big Ten and is his first toss over 200 feet during the 2000 outdoor season.
Other Season Bests
Two other Wolverines delivered season-best performances at the Hillsdale Relays on Saturday (April 29). Michigan middle distance runner Tom Caughlan (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City HS) ran his fastest 1,500-meter time of the 2000 outdoor season of 4:00.10, which placed him 12th in that event. Caughlan's pace of 4:00.10 is the fifth-best time by a Wolverine this season. Multi-event athlete Ryan Stevenson (Harrison, Ohio/St. Xavier HS) recorded a personal and Michigan season-best decathlon mark of 6,233 while placing runner-up in that event at the Hillsdale Relays.
Big Ten Rankings (Wolverines in top eight and leaders of those events)
100-Meter Dash 1. B.J. Tucker, Illinois 10.35 5. Ike Okenwa, U-M 10.62 200-Meter Dash 1. Mike Bennett, Wisconsin 20.66 6. Ike Okenwa, U-M 21.47 400-Meter Dash 1. Andrew Pierce, Ohio State 45.49 6. Kevin Lamb, U-M 47.77 8. Tony Wishart, U-M 47.82 10,000-Meter Run 1. Stetson Steele, Iowa 28:44.47 4. Mike Wisniewski, U-M 29:05.12 5. Steve Lawrence, U-M 29:07.43 110-Meter Hurdles 1. T.J. Nelson, Wisconsin 13.85 6. Derek Applewhite, U-M 14.42 4x100-Meter Relay 1. Wisconsin 39.88 5. MICHIGAN 40.90 4x400-Meter Relay 1. Ohio State 3:06.33 2. MICHIGAN 3:09.53 Pole Vault 1. Justin Norberg, Illinois 17-4 1/2 2. Charles DeWildt, U-M 17-1 Hammer Throw 1. Chris Brown, Purdue 210-11 6. Patrik Johansson, U-M 188-6 Javelin 1. Dan Ralph, Iowa 227-10 7. Andy Derr, U-M 200-1
Wolverines in the NCAA Rankings
10,000-Meter Run 1. Brent Hauser, Stanford 28:23.37 17. Mike Wisniewski, U-M 29:05.12 19. Steve Lawrence, U-M 29:07.43
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
