Michigan
Akron Invitational
Wolverines Tally Several PRs on Day Two of Akron Invitational
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Feb. 6, 2016
» In the weight throw, Joe Ellis recorded the third-farthest throw in program history at 20.03 meters (65-8.5 ft.).
» Charlie DeJonge's new PR in the heptathlon cracked the all-time top-10 performance list in U-M history.
Site: Akron, Ohio (Stiles Athletics Field House)
Event: Akron Invitational (Day 2)
U-M Team Result: Non-scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Feb. 12-13 -- at SPIRE Collegiate Invitational (2 p.m. EST) and Iowa State Classic (Noon CST)
AKRON, Ohio -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team wrapped up action at the Akron Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 6), highlighted by a standout effort from Steven Bastien in the heptathlon at the Stiles Athletics Field House. U-M had encouraging results in the sprints, vaults and throws as well, including five additional PRs in those disciplines.
Head coach Jerry Clayton saw a good response from his team this weekend, split between those in Akron and another group of athletes competing at the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
"We still have more work to do, and we have to get better, but the athletes seem to be responding, and we saw a lot of personal bests this weekend," said Clayton.
"We had some athletes running different events, and they did a really good job with that opportunity. We have to keep working hard and improving week to week, really staying on it and continuing to work towards our goals."
HEPTATHLON
Bastien totaled 5,514 points in the heptathlon, not entirely out of reach from his program-record 5,664-point effort set at last season's NCAA Championships. Bastien was encouraged by the weekend as a whole, drawing the comparison to where he was at this time one season ago.
"I feel like the position I'm in right now is a lot better than where I was at this time last year, even though the score is a little bit lower," said Bastien, "I think I can score a lot higher than I did this weekend."
He also noted that he is in the process of changing his run during jumping events, and he feels his jumps will improve even more between now and the conference meet.
"I had a long foul in the long jump that I think was really far, and I was jumping well in the high jump and pole vault, but my steps weren't quite on," said Bastien, "so basically none of my jumps went well. If I get those corrected and where I want them to be, I'll be in good shape because I'll be well rested, and this training cycle is designed to have me at my peak condition for conference."
Bastien won the 1,000-meter run (2:44.47) and set a PR in the hurdles and added two other top-two finishes to Friday's win 60-meter dash, helping him finish just 26 points behind Akron senior Quentin Cieslinski.
Freshmen Charlie DeJonge and Ben Hester also competed, placing ninth and 10th, respectively. DeJonge recorded a new personal-best point total, the 10th-highest in U-M history.
THROWS
Sophomore/freshman Joe Ellis led a pair of Wolverines with new PRs in the weight throw. His mark of 20.03 meters (65-8.5 ft.) ranks as the No. 3 throw in U-M history, while junior/sophomore co-captain Grant Cartwright finished sixth with a PR mark of 18.95 meters (62-2 ft.).
JUMPS
Senior Stephen Sykes won the high jump after clearing 1.98 meters (6-6 ft.) on his third attempt. Freshman Alasgar Mammedov finished fourth.
POLE VAULT
Both Wolverines set new indoor lifetime bests as sophomore/freshman Kevin Haughn cleared the bar at 4.75 meters (15-7 ft.) to tie for second place, and freshman Nick Burkhalter tied for fourth with a height of 4.60 meters (15-1.25 ft.).
SPRINTS
Freshman Blake Washington set an indoor PR and earned a runner-up finish in the 400, clocking 49.46 in a neck-and-neck finish with VCU's Nathan Williams (49.41).
Meanwhile, junior/sophomore Khoury Crenshaw opened up the 60-meter dash in 6.82, finishing fourth overall.
The Maize and Blue returns to action next weekend, sending athletes to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic for a two-day meet (Fri-Sat., Feb. 12-13). The Wolverines will also preview the site of the Big Ten Championships at the SPIRE Collegiate Invitational in Geneva, Ohio, on the same dates.
COLLEGIATE PERSONAL BESTS
Track Events
60-meter hurdles
Steven Bastien -- 8.34*
Ben Hester -- 9.08*
Field Events
Heptathlon
Charlie DeJonge -- 4,628 points
Weight Throw
Joe Ellis -- 20.03 meters (65-8.5 ft.)
Grant Cartwright -- 18.95 meters (62-2 ft.)
Pole Vault
Kevin Haughn -- 4.75 meters (15-7 ft.)
Nick Burkhalter -- 4.60 meters (15-1.25 ft.)
Charlie DeJonge -- 3.90 meters (12-9.5 ft.)*
Ben Hester -- 3.30 meters (10-10 ft.)*
* = Heptathlon event
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard
Players Mentioned
