Weekly Release #16
4/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Upcoming Schedule
Tue-Sat., April 25-29 -- at Penn Relays (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Thu-Sat., April 27-29 -- at Hillsdale Relays (Hillsdale, Mich.)
Fri-Sat., May 5-6 -- host Len Paddock Invitational (Ferry Field)
This Week: Penn Relays/Hillsdale Relays
The University of Michigan men's track and field team will split up this weekend as Wolverine competitors are slated to appear at both the Penn Relays and Hillsdale "Gina" Relays. The Penn Relays will be held Tuesday through Saturday (April 25-29) at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., and feature competition at the high school, collegiate and Olympic development levels. Senior/junior Adam Kiesler (Rochester, Ill./Rochester HS) will kick off U-M competition in his multi-events career debut on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the rest of the Wolverine squad opens action on Friday. The Gina Relays is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at the Hillsdale College Track with the Wolverines first event at 2 p.m. on Friday (April 28).
Wolverines Take the Cake at Central Collegiate Meet
Michigan captured the team title in its first scored meet of the outdoor slate at the Central Collegiate Championships last Saturday (April 22) at Eastern Michigan's Olds-Marshall Track. The Wolverines dominated the seven-team competition behind 11 event titles and five NCAA regional-qualifying performances. Drawing the contributions of 26 different scorers in 18 events, U-M racked up 270 points through the one-day competition, beating runner-up Eastern Michigan by more than 75 points. In recognition of the Wolverines' success, head coach Ron Warhurst was named Coach of the Year for the Central Collegiate Championships, while freshman Adam Harris (Wheaton, Ill./North HS) was named Athlete of the Championships.
The Tortoise and the Harris
Freshman Adam Harris boasted a pair of individual titles in the sprint events to pace the Wolverines to first place at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), registering personal-best performances and edging out former Olympian Tanko Braimahin both races. The Wolverine freshman netted his first career NCAA regional-qualfying standard in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.46, a 0.04-second improvement on his previous best out of high school. Just a couple hours later, Harris trimmed 0.18 seconds on his 200-meter PR, blazing a time of 21.30, a U-M seasonal best.
Stann and Deliver
Junior Stann Waithe (Towson, Md./Loch Raven HS) blazed a season-best 46.78 in the 400-meter dash to improve on his NCAA regional-qualfying position and capture his first victory of the 2006 season. The performance was the quickest for Waithe since last season's NCAA Mideast Regional when he clocked a career-best 46.36 to earn an at-large bid to the national meet.
Porterhouse
Junior Jeff Porter (Somerset, N.J./Franklin HS) clocked his fourth NCAA regional-qualifying standard in as many high hurdle races this season, posting a time of 14.26 to win the 110-meter event at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22). It was the first event title for Porter in the 2006 outdoor season. He ranks seventh among the NCAA Mideast Regional qualifiers behind his season-best 13.93, which he registered at the Duke Invitational (April 1).
Relaying the Message
Freshman Adam Harris, junior Jeff Porter and junior Stann Waithe also combined with freshman Andre Barnes (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) to pick up another Central Collegiate Championships event title in the 4x100-meter relay last Saturday (April 22). The quartet blazed a time of 40.68 -- missing the NCAA regional-qaulifying standard by just 0.02 second -- in Michigan's 4x100-meter season debut. It was the Wolverines' fastest time in the event in four seasons. They won the relay race.
A Wild Goose Chase
Senior/junior Andrew Bauer (West Bloomfield, Mich./Lahser HS) proved his knack for the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), winning the his first go at the event this season. Bauer, a 2005 NCAA Mideast Regional qualifer in the steeplechase, posted a time of 9:16.12 to better the nine-man field by more than four seconds.
Toddling Along
Senior/junior Todd Iacovelli (Kailua, Hawaii/Punahou HS) continued his recent string of standout performances, capturing his second career victory behind a significant personal-best showing in the 5,000-meter run at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22). Claiming the win just three weeks after the first of his career, Iacovelli posted a time of 14:23.04, trimming 26 seconds from his previous best, set at last season's Big Ten meet.
Ruff and Ready
Fifth-year senior Rondell Ruff (Detroit, Mich./Henry Ford HS) earned his first win of the 2006 season in the 800-meter run at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), outkicking the competition in the final 100 meters to post a winning time of 1:51.29. Ruff also posted a season best in a fourth-place 1,500-meter performance, clocking a time of 3:48.11 but missing the NCAA regional-qualifying mark by just 0.31 seconds.
Qualify and Satisfy
Sophomore Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest HS) and freshman Lex Williams (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter HS) both registered NCAA regional-qualifying times in the 1,500-meter run at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), claiming second and third place in the event, respectively. Woods, in his outdoor season debut, was just nipped at the finish line to miss the event title but posted a time of 3:46.62 to place himself sixth on the NCAA Mideast Regional performance list. Williams improved on his converted mile qualifier from the Sun Angel Classic (April 15), clocking a personal-best time of 3:47.19. He ranks 12th on the NCAA Mideast Regional performance list.
Miller Time
Senior captain Brad Miller (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS) made a triumphant return to the triple jump field, sharing a piece of the title at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22) after a two-year hiatus from the event. Miller recorded a personal-best distance of 46-0 1/2 for the win, more than a foot-and-a-half better than his previous mark. Miller also claimed third place in the high jump with a clearance of 6-8 3/4.
The Key to the Vault
Senior Kevin Peterman (Livonia, Mich./Churchill HS) improved his outdoor season best in the pole vault by six inches at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), sharing the winner's trophy the event with a clearance of 15-7. Senior Spencer Dowdall (Coral Spring, Fla./Coral Springs HS) also posted a season-best mark, clearing 15-1 to take fourth place.
Jack of All Trades
Senior/junior Adam Kiesler captured the javelin title at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22) in just second career appearance in the event. The Wolverine posted a winning throw of 157-3 to top the eight-man field. Kiesler also earned a runner-up finish in his primary specialty, the long jump, with a mark of 21-10.
Getting Personal
Senior Paul Sarantos (Portage, Mich./Northern HS) recorded a trio of personal-best performances in the throwing events at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22). Sarantos registered a team-leading 159-2 in the discus, adding just under three feet to his previous mark. He tacked nearly 15 feet to his personal best in the hammer throw with a distance of 166-6 and rounded out the day's showing with a mark of 54-9 1/2, a two-inch improvement on his previous PR.
Going Back to Cali
The Wolverines added two more names to their list of NCAA regional qualifiers behind five standout performances at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), bringing the outdoor season total to eight individuals through the opening six meets. U-M boasts a pair of hurdlers, a sprinter, a middle-distance runner and two field-event specialists. The 2006 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Mideast Regional will be held May 26-27 at the Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.
| Event (Qualifying Standard) | Name | Time/Mark | Date Set |
| 100-Meter Dash (10.50) | Adam Harris | 10.46 | 4/22 Central Collegiate |
| 400-Meter Dash (47.26) | Stann Waithe | 47.14 | 4/1 Yellow Jacket |
| 110-Meter Hurdles (14.30) | Jeff Porter | 13.93 | 4/1 Yellow Jacket |
| 400-Meter Hurdles (52.51) | Dan Harmsen | 52.26 | 4/7 Duke Invitational |
| 1,500-Meter Run (3:47.80) | Mike Woods | 3:46.62 | 4/22 Central Collegiate |
| 1,500-Meter Run (3:47.80) | Lex Williams | 3:47.19 | 4/22 Central Collegiate |
| High Jump (2.10m) | Brad Miller | 6-10 3/4 (2.10m) | 4/8 Texas Relays |
| Triple Jump (15.08m) | Michael Whitehead | 51-10 (15.54m) | 4/8 Texas Relays |
From the Vault...
Junior/sophomore Chris Stowe posted a season-best 52.71 to claim runner-up honors in the 400-meter hurdles at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22). He missed the NCAA regional-qualifying standard by just 0.20 seconds.
Freshman Marc Cooks registered a personal-best 55.34 in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22).
Freshman Rob Fiorillo clocked a career-best 14.91 in the 110-meter high hurdles at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22).
Sophomore Seth Thibodeau posted a personal-best 14:38.51 in his third-place 5,000-meter run performance at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22), trimming his previous best by four seconds.
Sophomore/freshman Dan Bedoya added four inches to his personal-best hammer throw mark, recording a distance of 145-4 at the Central Collegiate Championships (April 22).
Sophomore Mike Woods holds the sixth position among the nation's top 1,500-meter specialists, according to the most recent Dandy Dozen poll, released Tuesday, April 24.
On the Horizon
The Wolverines will host the annual Len Paddock Invitational -- their lone outdoor meet -- on May 5-6 at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Mich. The final tuneup before the postseason, the meet is slated to begin at 11 a.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
