Michigan
Len Paddock Invitational (Day 2)
Hauser-Price Triples Up on Second Day of Paddock Invite
5/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame HS) competed in four races for the University of Michigan women's track and field team on the final day of the non-scoring Len Paddock Invitational, winning two individual events and running on the victorious 4x400-meter relay team.
| | Hauser-Price |
After an hour of rest Hauser-Price returned to action in the 200-meter dash. Running on the outside of the first heat into a strong headwind, she took control of the race along the final 100 meters and crossed the line at 24.15 for her second individual event title. Running the 200 meters for the first time this season, Vera Simms (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) posted the third fastest time in the event with her fifth-place finish at 25.11.
Junior thrower April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) continued her stellar 2002 campaign as she broke the school record in the outdoor shot put with an NCAA provisional toss of 51-10 1/2. The record comes one week after Phillips set the school mark in the hammer throw at 189-3 at the Jesse Owens Classic (May 5). Phillips' record throw in the event broke the 13-year-old mark of 51-9 held by Sonya Payne (1987-89).
With her back-to-back school record-breaking weekends, Phillips has broken three U-M records this season. The junior tri-captain broke the weight throw school record during the indoor season with a heave of 61-9 at the Big Ten Conference Indoor Championships (Feb. 24).
Junior Robin Landfair (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) added to Michigan's event championship total when she ran to a first-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.20. Running in the second of four heats, sophomore Doris Simmons (Cassopolis, Mich./Cassopolis HS) posted the fourth fastest time in the event by winning her heat at 14.95.
In the final event of the day the Wolverines combined mid-distance with sprints as Ursula Taylor (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg HS), Rachel Sturtz (Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City HS), Hauser-Price and Shalina Rankin (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln HS) were teamed to run the 4x400 meter relay.
Taylor ran the opening leg for the Maize and Blue and came down the stretch with a slight advantage over Michigan "B" team leadoff runner Tracy Egnatuk (Albion, Mich./Albion HS). Sturtz took the Taylor handoff and opened ground on Michigan's second entry into the race, but along the final turn Western Michigan began to reel her in.
On the third leg Hauser-Price, who completed the 200 meters 20 minutes earlier, sprinted around the first turn and gave the Wolverines a 10-meter advantage. Western Michigan challenged Hauser-Price in the back straightaway, but the Wolverine found another gear and pulled away once again.
With U-M ahead by only a few meters, Rankin was given the baton for the anchor leg of the race. Rankin pulled away early and never looked back as she opened up a 20-meter advantage on the back straightaway and eventually crossed the finish line four seconds ahead of Western Michigan with a time of 3:46.20. The win was the Wolverines' fifth of day and third for Hauser-Price.
The Maize and Blue looks to build upon today's strong showing as it heads to Madison, Wis., for the Big Ten Conference Indoor Championships next Friday through Sunday (May 17-19) on the Dan McClimon Memorial Track. The Wolverines will be looking for a sweep of the Big Ten Championships after winning the indoor title Feb. 23-24 in State College, Pa.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
