Michigan
Wolverine Invitational
Liskowitz Breaks School Record in Michigan Men's 2019 Opener
1/12/2019 6:34:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Indoor Track Building)
Event: Wolverine Invitational
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 19 – host Simmons-Harvey Big Ten Invitational (U-M Indoor Track Building), 10 a.m.
• Photo Gallery | Complete Results (PDF)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Saturday's (Jan. 12) Wolverine Invitational may have been the 2019 season and home opener for the University of Michigan men's track and field team, but a school record and multiple career-best performances from key contributors showed promise for what is to come this winter.
Redshirt junior Andrew Liskowitz added a Michigan indoor shot put record to match the outdoor record he claimed in 2018, headlining a particularly strong day for the throwers, hurdlers and high jumpers in the first of three home meets leading up to February's Big Ten Championships in the new U-M Indoor Track Building.
His record throw -- a 19.64m (64 feet, 5.25 inches) heave -- netted him one of four Michigan victories on the day. Roland Amarteifio in the 60-meter hurdles, Brandon Piwinski in the high jump -- both of whom tied career bests -- and Gabe Mudel in the mile also emerged victorious.
The Wolverines' strong debut came against the likes of Michigan State and Eastern Michigan, as well as Canadian power Guelph, Kent State, Buffalo and Western (Ontario).
Liskowitz was strong from the start, throwing 18.79m (61-7.75) on his first throw before notching his all-time mark on his second. He followed that up with a 19.13m (62-9.25) put in the third round, but would foul the remainder of his attempts.
The performance ranks him No. 3 in the country on the NCAA qualifying list and No. 7 on the IAAF world rankings list, virtually assuring him a qualifying spot to the NCAA Championships in March.
He was not the only shot putter making history as true freshman John Meyer debuted with a strong 17.98m (59-0) for third place. Not only does the mark tie him for ninth-place on the all-time Michigan list with former NCAA champion Dave Owen (1959), but it was just two centimeters shy of the Michigan records for the best mark by a freshman and the best debut by a freshman in the event.
Only Cody Riffle has performed better as a freshman in school history, throwing an even 18.00m (59-0.75) in his debut in 2011, though he did not exceed that mark for the remainder of his first year in uniform.
Though Liskowitz also scored a career best in the weight throw, that event was headlined by two-time All-American Joe Ellis' season debut. In a runner-up finish to former teammate and current volunteer assistant Grant Cartwright, Ellis heaved a mark of 22.12m (72-7) on his sixth-and-final attempt to move to No. 2 in the NCAA rankings.
Manning Plater was third with a career-best throw of 19.25m (63-2) on his final attempt -- the culmination of a series that saw him exceed his pre-meet career best on all six throws -- to move to No. 6 in school history in the event. Liskowitz went 18.38m (60-3.75) to move to No. 9 in school history.
The hurdle crew's day was nearly as good as the throwers', as Amarteifio won a 60-meter hurdles final that featured four different Wolverines. The junior tied his career best with an 8.03 clocking in the final, just ahead of third-place Sierra Hendrix-Williams in 8.10, sixth-place Noah Caudy in a career-best 8.14 and seventh-place true freshman Job Mayhue in 8.15.
Though Mayhue as a ways to go before he reaches Jeff Porter's freshman record of 7.82 from 2004, Porter's collegiate debut was just a shade faster than Mayhue's at 8.13.
Hendrix-Williams came within a tenth of a second of his 7.97 personal record in the qualifying rounds with an 8.06, to lead all qualifiers.
Another event group that did well was the high jump, as Piwinski took a tiebreak win over true freshman teammate Cassidy Henshaw as both men attempted to clear seven feet. In dramatic fashion, both men needed all three attempts to get over the bar at 2.10m (6-10.75).
Piwinski was declared the winner as he needed fewer attempts to make it over at 2.05m (6-8.75) than did Henshaw. Max Wagner also cleared that bar for a new career best.
Meyer, Mayhue and Henshaw were just three of the Wolverines' strong first-year debut performances on the day, portending a strong season for the program's newest additions.
True freshman Mudel took the win the mile from teammate Dominic Dimambro -- 4:15.83 to 4:15.92 -- in a last 100 meters that saw three lead changes from Dimambro to Jared Hill, back to Dimambro and finally to Mudel in the final steps of the race. Those three led a Wolverine sweep of the top six positions in the standings.
In the sprints, Ian Davis ran a strong 21.88 debut over 200 meters, coming up less than a quarter-second shy of the Michigan all-time top 10 in the event.
The regular season ramps up in a big way next Saturday (Jan. 19) at 10 a.m., when the Wolverines will welcome conference foes Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska and Maryland to town for the Simmons-Harvey Big Ten Invitational. The meet, a mini-preview of February's Big Ten Championships, will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network from noon-3:30 p.m., with the non-televised program beginning at 10 a.m.
Michigan Results
COLLEGIATE CAREER-BEST PERFORMANCES
Career debuts not included
Roland Amarteifio -- 8.03 / 60m Hurdles (I)
Noah Caudy -- 8.14 / 60m Hurdles (I)
Andrew Liskowitz -- 19.64m (64-5.25) / Shot Put (I)
Andrew Liskowitz -- 18.38m (60-3.75) / Weight Throw (I)
Brandon Piwinski -- 2.10m (6-10.75) / High Jump (I)
Manning Plater -- 19.25m (63-2) / Weight Throw (I)
Max Wagner -- 2.05m (6-08.75) / High Jump (I)
FULL MICHIGAN RESULTS BY EVENT
60 Meters
11. Stephen Hagen / 7.01
14. Joe McCarthy / 7.06
200 Meters
3. Ian Davis / 21.88
4. Joe McCarthy / 22.00
8. Stephen Hagen / 22.52
400 Meters
4. Blake Washington / 50.16
5. Sean Marshall / 50.89
600 Meters
2. Alex Schwedt / 1:20.97
3. Derrick Simmons / 1:21.17
800 Meters
3. Austin Remick / 1:56.37
4. Luke Wallace / 1:56.55
6. Evan Meyer / 1:56.91
7. Anthony Giannobile / 1:56.96
Mile
1. Gabe Mudel / 4:15.83
2. Dominic Dimambro / 4:15.92
3. Jared Hill / 4:16.62
4. Christian Hubaker / 4:17.29
5. Kevin Hall / 4:17.51
6. Joost Plaetinck / 4:18.11
12. Lewis Tate / 4:22.51
14. Keenan Rebera / 4:24.64
60-Meter Hurdles
FINALS
1. Roland Amarteifio / 8.03
3. Sierra Hendrix-Williams / 8.1
6. Noah Caudy / 8.14
7. Job Mayhue / 8.15
PRELIMS
1. Sierra Hendrix-Williams / 8.06q
2. Roland Amarteifio / 8.09q
3. Noah Caudy / 8.26q
5. Job Mayhue / 8.17q
13. Jack Lint / 8.45
15. Sean Marshall / 8.46
19. Cassidy Henshaw / 8.6
4x400 Relay
3. Noah Caudy, Desmond Melson, Jack Lint, Roland Amarteifio / 3:20.51
Pole Vault
4. Nick Burkhalter / 4.75m (15-7)
Shot Put
1. Andrew Liskowitz / 19.64m (64-5.25)
3. John Meyer / 17.98m (59-0)
17. Jack Lint / 12.43m (40-9.5)
Weight Throw
2. Joe Ellis / 22.80m (72-7)
3. Manning Plater / 19.25m (63-2)
7. Andrew Liskowitz / 18.38m (60-3.75)
11. John Meyer / 16.37m (53-8.5)
Players Mentioned
