Michigan
Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Michigan Dominates 10K, Sits Second at Big Ten Meet
5/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field team opened the outdoor postseason with the first day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and scored 31.67 points to sit in second place behind Minnesota (33.5) at the Ralph H. Young Track and Field Complex.
The Maize and Blue made its move in the 10,000-meter run, earning a total of 25 points with runners taking first, second, fifth and sixth place. Senior/junior Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves) took first place with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 33:49.65, finishing one place better than last year. Fifth-year senior Ana Gjesdal (La Crescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley HS) earned her first-ever All-Big Ten second team honor as she claimed second place with a personal-best NCAA automatic qualifying time of 33:49.65, eclipsing her past personal best of 34:38.41 by more than 11 seconds.
Junior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) and sophomore Alyson Kohlmeier (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick's) each earned an NCAA provisional time in the 10,000m with their fifth- and sixth-place performances, respectively. Webster took fifth place with a personal-best time of 34:01.34, while Kohlmeier set a personal-best time of 34:10.64 in taking sixth place.
Assisting the Wolverines in earning points were senior/junior pole vaulters Kelly Catino (Traverse City, Mich./Central) and Kristin Pearson (Escanaba, Mich./Escanaba) as they tied for second and eighth, respectively. Catino finished in a three-way tie for second with a clearance of 11-11 3/4, earning 6.33 points and earning All-Big Ten second team honors for the first time of her career. Pearson finished in a three-way tie for eighth place with a clearance of 11-5 3/4, earning a third of a point.
In the throwing events senior/junior Jamie Barbour (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) took 10th place in the hammer throw with a toss of 154-9, finishing seven spots better than her finish of 17th place from last year.
The Wolverines will continue the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in East Lansing, Mich., with the second day of competition on Saturday (May 13) slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. with the decathlon 110m hurdles.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. Minnesota 33.50 2. MICHIGAN 31.67 3. Penn State 11 Ohio State 11 5. Wisconsin 10.50 6. Illinois 6.67 7. Purdue 6.33 8. Indiana 5 9. Iowa 1.33
Event Winners/U-M Finishes (Day 1)
10,000-Meter Run 1. Rebecca Walter, U-M 33:45.47* 2. Ana Gjesdal, U-M 33:49.65* 5. Erin Webster, U-M 34:01.34@ 6. Alyson Kohlmeier, U-M 34:10.64@ Hammer Throw 1. Jennifer Leatherman, Penn State 197-8# (60.24m) 10. Jamie Barbour, U-M 154-9 (47.16m) 19. Melissa Gurchinoff, U-M 132-7 (40.42m) Pole Vault 1. Laura Massey, Minnesota 12-5 1/2# (3.80m) 2. Kelly Catino, U-M 11-11 3/4 (3.65m) 8. Kristin Pearson, U-M 11-5 3/4 (3.50m) -- Elizabeth Boyle, U-M NH -- Jennifer Mehl, U-M NH * NCAA Automatic Qualifying Standard @ NCAA Provisional Qualifying Standard # NCAA Regional Qualifying Standard
N O T E S
Senior/junior Rebecca Walter earned All-Big Ten first team honors (10,000m) for the first time in her career.
Fifth-year senior Ana Gjesdal earned All-Big Ten second team honors (10,000m) for the first time in her career, along with setting a new personal-best time of 33:49.65.
Senior/junior Kelly Catino earned All-Big Ten second team honors for the first time in her career (pole vault).
Junior Erin Webster and sophomore Alyson Kohlmeier each raced in her first-ever 10,000m race.
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
