Michigan
Alex Wilson Invitational
Relay Team Punches Ticket to Nationals at Notre Dame
3/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The 23rd-ranked University of Michigan men's track and field team qualified its distance medley relay team for nationals at the Alex Wilson Invitational last-chance meet on Friday (March 2) at the Loftus Center. U-M registered the fourth-fastest time in the country this season and placed third in the event.
The U-M squad of sophomore Justin Switzer (Waterford, Mich./Kettering), sophomore Andre Barnes (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield), fifth-year senior Andrew Ellerton (Sudbury, Ontario/Confederation) and sophomore Lex Williams (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter) combined for a time of 9:33.99. The performance just surpassed the NCAA automatic qualifying time standard of 9:34.00.
Switzer opened the relay, splitting 2:59.00 over the 1,200-meter leg before passing the baton to Barnes, who then clocked a 400-meter split of 46.60. Ellerton and Williams maintained the Wolverines' steady pace, clocking 1:47.20 and 4:00.60, respectively.
Entering the weekend, the Wolverines held the 22nd fastest distance medley relay time in the nation with an NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 9:45.39.
Also competing for U-M on Friday was sophomore Sean Pruitt (Cato, Wis./Valders) , who took fifth place out of nine competitors the weight throw as he registered a mark of 61-5.
The Maize and Blue will return for the second day of competition at the Alex Wilson Invitational tomorrow (Saturday, March 3) in South Bend, Ind. Events are slated to begin at 10:30 a.m.
U-M Results
Distance Medley 1. Texas 9:31.27* 3. MICHIGAN 9:33.99* (Justin Switzer, Andre Barnes, Andrew Ellerton, Lex Williams) Weight Throw 1. Leonard Jatsek, Ohio State 65-10 1/2# (20.08m) 5. Sean Pruitt, U-M 61-5 (18.72m) * NCAA Automatic Mark # NCAA Provisional Mark
Contact: Tim Trunzo (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
