Throwers Headline Day One at Vanderbilt

Friday, March 22

Nashville, Tenn.

4:00 PM CT

Michigan

Black and Gold Invitational

Briana Nelson

3/22/2019 11:59:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

By: Kyle Terwillegar

Site: Nashville, Tenn. (Vanderbilt Track)
Event: Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 23 -- at Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invitational - Day 2 (Nashville, Tenn.), 10 a.m. CDT

• Complete Results (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The first day of the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invitational on Friday (March 22) produced strong performances from the University of Michigan women's track and field team's distance runners, jumpers and throwers in their 2019 outdoor season debuts.

Hammer thrower Bailey Baker had the highest finish of the day for the Wolverine women, leading a trio of U-M top-10 finishers with a fourth-place effort. Baker closed out her day with a best of 58.14m (190 feet, 9.25 inches) on her final attempt to move from sixth to fourth on the all-time Michigan performers list in the event.

Coming off a career-best indoor season, thrower Briana Nelson kept the momentum going into the spring campaign with not only a ninth-place finish in the hammer throw on a career-best 52.43m (172-0.5), but also a sixth-place showing in the shot put with a new personal-record heave of 14.35m (47-1) on her first attempt.

Kayla Deering took 10th in the hammer at 51.31m (168-4.25).

Micaela DeGenero led the way for the Wolverine women's crew in the 1,500-meter event, finishing seventh overall in a new collegiate career-best 4:28.17 to lead three top-10 U-M finishers.

Just behind her were eighth-place Camille Davre in her long-awaited Michigan outdoor debut in 4:30.31 and 10th-place Jena Metwalli in 4:31.01.

Leading the way for the sprinters was Sydney McGinley, who clocked a wind-aided 25.29 (+2.6m/s) to take 32nd overall at 200 meters. The performance was a 19-spot improvement on her pre-meet seeding of No. 51.

Action for the final session of competition resumes at Vanderbilt on Saturday at 10 a.m. CDT in the field events. Track events for the Wolverine women begin at 12:45 p.m. CT and are expected to conclude before 5 p.m. CDT.

Collegiate Career-Best Performances

Career debuts in events not included; indoor career bests are considered separate, even for the same event

Bailey Baker -- 58.14m (190-9.25) / Hammer Throw (O)
Micaela DeGenero -- 4:28.17 / 1500m (O)
Mary Kate McNamara -- 4:51.19 / 1500m (O)
Briana Nelson -- 14.35m (47-1) / Shot Put (O)
Briana Nelson -- 52.43m (172-0.5) / Hammer Throw (O)

Full Michigan Results By Event

Q = Automatic qualifier into final; q = non-automatic qualifier into final; w = wind-aided performance (Wind readings greater than +2.0m/s are considered "wind-aided" and are not eligible for record purposes. Wind readings up to and including +4.0m/s are allowable for NCAA East Preliminaries qualifying purposes.)

100 Meters
To be contested Saturday

200 Meters
35. Akili Echols / 25.65w (+2.5m/s)
36. Torisa Johnson / 25.79w (+3.2m/s)

400 Meters
To be contested Saturday

800 Meters
To be contested Saturday

1,500 Meters
7. Micaela DeGenero / 4:28.17
8. Camille Davre / 4:30.31
10. Jena Metwalli / 4:31.01
12. Lexi Munley / 4:31.85
13. Audrey Belf / 4:32.60
20. Lauren Biggs / 4:35.68
25. Rachel Coleman / 4:37.20
29. Sydney Badger / 4:38.43
34. Faith Reynolds / 4:42.41
40. Carola Jansohn / 4:46.84
50. Mary Kate McNamara / 4:51.19