Michigan
Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup (Day 1)
Wolverines Fifth After Opening Day of Sykes-Sabok Cup
2/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team hangs to to fifth place (29 points) after the first day of competition at the Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup on Friday (Feb. 11) at Penn State's Horace Ashenfelter Indoor Track. The Wolverines' distance medley relay team earned its second NCAA provisional-qualifying mark and several competitors recorded season-best performances to spearhead the U-M effort.
Michigan used a different cast of characters to nearly match the season-best performance in the DMR, recorded last weekend at the Meyo Invitational (Feb. 4-5). The foursome of senior Rondell Ruff (Detroit, Mich./Henry Ford HS), sophomore John D'Arcy (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont HS), junior Andrew Ellerton (Sudbury, Ontario/Confederation HS) and freshman Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest HS) clocked a time of 9:36.77 to claim runner-up honors in the event, finishing just 0.48 seconds behind Penn State.
Senior Nathan Taylor (Courtaney, British Columbia/Georges P. Vanier HS) clocked 6.86 in the 60-meter dash preliminaries to shave 0.08 seconds from his season-best mark in the event. He claimed sixth place in the final with a time of 6.90.
Sophomore Jeff Porter (Somerset, N.J./Franklin HS) led a strong U-M performance in the 60-meter hurdles with a second-place finish in a time of 7.97. Fifth-year senior Nick Meter (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) and freshman Rich LaCroix (Marine City, Mich./Marine City HS) also advanced to the finals in the event, placing seventh and eighth, respectively. Meter clocked a time of 8.31 to smash his personal best, bettering the previous mark by 0.12 seconds.
The Maize and Blue will return for the second day of action at the Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 12) at the Ashenfelter Indoor Track. Competition is slated for an 11 a.m. start.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. Kent State 52 2. Central Michigan 42 3. Cornell 36 4. Penn State 32 5. MICHIGAN 29 6. Toronto 14 7. Pittsburgh 13 8. Pennsylvania 9 9. Buffalo 4 10. Manhattan 3
Event Winners/U-M Finishes (Day 1)
60-Meter Dash (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Marc Johnson, Kent State 6.84q 2. Nathan Taylor, U-M 6.86q Heat 2 1. Daniel Barbarie, Toronto 6.87q 6. Francis LeGasse, U-M 7.22 Heat 3 1. Pierre Vinson, Central Michigan 6.75q 3. Jeff Porter, U-M 6.93 Heat 4 1. Johnie Drake, Central Michigan 6.64q# 6. Darren Adams, U-M 7.19 60-Meter Dash (Final) 1. Johnie Drake, Central Michigan 6.60* 6. Nathan Taylor, U-M 6.90 5,000-Meter Run 1. James Sjostrom, Kent State 14:19.51 8. Andrew Bauer, U-M 14:48.93 12. Seth Thibodeau, U-M 15:06.32 60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Keith Roberts, Kent State 8.19q 2. Rich LaCroix, U-M 8.26q Heat 2 1. Jeff Porter, U-M 7.97q 3. Nick Meter, U-M 8.31q 60-Meter Hurdles (Final) 1. Clarence Glenn, Central Michigan 7.79# 2. Jeff Porter, U-M 7.97 7. Nick Meter, U-M 8.29 8. Rich LaCroix, U-M 9.56 Distance Medley Relay 1. Penn State 9:36.29# (Matt Lincoln, Jaret Campisi, Dan Michael, Chris Foster) 2. Michigan 9:36.77# (Rondell Ruff, John D'Arcy, Andrew Ellerton, Mike Woods) Pole Vault 1. Jason Wurster, Toronto 16-8 3/4 (5.10m) 6. Kevin Peterman, U-M 15-3 (4.65m) t7. Spencer Dowdall, U-M 14-9 (4.50m) t7. Kevin Day, U-M 14-9 (4.50m) Long Jump 1. Phil Rickaby, Kent State 23-10 1/4 (7.27m) 8. Adam Kiesler, U-M 22-4 1/4 (6.81m) 9. Michael Whitehead, U-M 22-1 3/4 (6.75m) 22. Darren Adams, U-M 20-4 1/4 (6.20m) * NCAA automatic qualifier # NCAA provisional qualifier
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
