Michigan Men to Host ACC, Big Ten, SEC for Power Five Invite

Friday, January 31

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

Power Five Invitational

Sierra Hendrix-Williams (second from left), Heath Baldwin

Sierra Hendrix-Williams (center) and Heath Baldwin (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Men to Host ACC, Big Ten, SEC for Power Five Invite

1/30/2020 12:57:00 PM | Men's Track & Field

By: Kyle Terwillegar

THIS WEEK
Fri-Sat., Jan. 31-Feb. 1 -- host Power Five Invitational (U-M Indoor Track Building)
Meet Central | Meet Schedule
Friday, Jan. 31 -- Power Five Invitational, noon
Live Results | Live Video
Saturday, Feb. 1 -- Power Five Invitational, 9:30 a.m.
Live Results | Live Video

• Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In what will be the highest-profile competition of the University of Michigan men's track and field team's 2020 indoor home schedule, the Wolverines will host top teams from the Big Ten, ACC and SEC for the Power Five Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 31-Feb. 1).

Michigan will square off with opponents from Louisville, Michigan State, Mississippi State, North Carolina and Notre Dame over the course of two days inside the world-class U-M Indoor Track Building.

Action will begin Friday (Jan. 31) at noon with the first of two days in the heptathlon, followed by a track program starting at 4:20 p.m. Top-seeded track finals on Friday include the 5,000 meters and 600 meters.

Saturday (Feb. 1) will start with the resumption of the heptathlon at 9:30 a.m., followed by the main seeded field events at 11 a.m. and the primary track program at noon.

Action is expected to conclude by 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

In addition to the collegiate student-athletes, the meet will feature a number of the sport's top talents, including six Olympians and numerous Olympic hopefuls. Chief among the Olympians is six-time gold medalist Allyson Felix, along with U-M alumnae Cindy Ofili and Tiffany Porter. [ Release ]

Wolverines to Watch

Shot Put: Andrew Liskowitz and John Meyer vs. Daniel McArthur (North Carolina)
Liskowitz is ranked No. 4 nationally after his barnstorming 2020 debut two weeks ago that saw him top his own school record five times, including a best of 20.29m (66 feet, 7 inches). In fact, his average distance of 19.88m (65-2.75) for his six throws at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational is the highest single-meet average of anyone in the country in 2020 and would rank him seventh nationally if it were just a single throw. Meyer was impressive in his own right, throwing a career-best 19.03m (62-5.25) that currently ranks him 21st nationally. They will be up against national No. 3 McArthur, who has a 2020 best of 20.35m (66-9.25) and was fourth at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Weight Throw: Manning Plater vs. Logan Kusky (Notre Dame)
Plater is coming off the biggest win of his career: a come-from-behind victory in the final round at the Rod McCravy Memorial last weekend. His clutch experience plus the strength he displayed at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational two weekends ago with four throws better than 21 meters -- including a best of 21.81m (71-6.75) that ranks him No. 4 nationally -- are quickly developing him into a national contender. He will be tested once more this weekend by reigning ACC weight throw champion Kusky, who currently is 11th in the NCAA with a best of 21.36m (70-1).

60-Meter Hurdles: Roland Amarteifio, Sierra Hendrix-Williams and Job Mayhue vs. The Field
The Wolverines already have one man under the eight-second barrier in the 60-meter hurdles in 2020 -- true freshman Josh Zeller, who will not be competing this weekend -- and as many as three more are looking to join him in the sevens this weekend. Amarteifio, tied with Zeller for No. 2 in school history at 7.90 will be making his 2020 debut in the event, while Hendrix-Williams (8.01) and Mayhue (8.07) have come close to the threshold. Only 10 teams nationally have multiple men under 8.00, with Michigan aiming to join that list as they did last year with Amarteifio, Hendrix-Williams and Mayhue.

High Jump: Brandon Piwinski, Max Wagner and Cassidy Henshaw vs. The Field
The trio of Piwinski, Wagner and Henshaw -- all of whom have cleared 2.10m (6-10.75) indoors in the past two seasons -- will have a talented duo of opponents in Louisville's Anthony McRoberts and North Carolina's Draven Crist, who has jumped higher this year at 2.12m (6-11.5), while McRoberts has gone above seven feet in his career at 2.16m (7-1). Piwinski also is an indoor seven-foot leaper with his 2.15m (7-0.5) from a year ago, but will be making his 2020 debut.

800 Meters: Anthony Berry vs. Dejon Devroe (Mississippi State)
Berry is one weekend removed from running a 4:01.77 mile that was a five-second improvement on his previous career best and has him ranked No. 19 nationally in the event. He will step down in distance this Saturday to challenge his 1:50.90 personal record in the 800 meters. He will have a stiff challenge against Devroe, who is a three-time NCAA Championships competitor in the event, finishing sixth in 2018.

When to Watch the Wolverines

Friday Competitors
Name	Event	Round	Time (ET)
Heath Baldwin	60 meter dash	Heptathlon	12:00 PM
Mason Mahacek	60 meter dash	Heptathlon	12:00 PM
Heath Baldwin	Long Jump	Heptathlon	12:35 PM
Mason Mahacek	Long Jump	Heptathlon	12:35 PM
Heath Baldwin	Shot Put	Heptathlon	1:35 PM
Mason Mahacek	Shot Put	Heptathlon	1:35 PM
Heath Baldwin	High Jump	Heptathlon	2:35 PM
Mason Mahacek	High Jump	Heptathlon	2:35 PM
Roland Amarteifio	60 meter hurdles	Prelims	4:20 PM
Noah Caudy	60 meter hurdles	Prelims	4:20 PM
Sierra Hendrix-Williams	60 meter hurdles	Prelims	4:20 PM
Sean Marshall	60 meter hurdles	Prelims	4:20 PM
Job Mayhue	60 meter hurdles	Prelims	4:20 PM
Asani Hampton	60 meter dash	Prelims	4:40 PM
Sierra Hendrix-Williams	60 meter dash	Prelims	4:40 PM
Job Mayhue	60 meter dash	Prelims	4:40 PM
Joe McCarthy	60 meter dash	Prelims	4:40 PM
Desmond Melson	60 meter dash	Prelims	4:40 PM
Tom Brady	5000 meter run	Final	5:30 PM
James Gedris	5000 meter run	Final	5:30 PM
Noah Caudy	600 meter run	Final	6:00 PM
Sean Marshall	600 meter run	Final	6:00 PM

Saturday Competitors
Name	Event	Round	Time (ET)
Heath Baldwin	60 meter hurdles	Heptathlon	9:30 AM
Mason Mahacek	60 meter hurdles	Heptathlon	9:30 AM
Heath Baldwin	Pole Vault	Heptathlon	10:15 AM
Mason Mahacek	Pole Vault	Heptathlon	10:15 AM
Manning Plater	Weight Throw	Final	11:00 AM
Roland Amarteifio	60 meter hurdles	Final	12:05 PM
Noah Caudy	60 meter hurdles	Final	12:05 PM
Sierra Hendrix-Williams	60 meter hurdles	Final	12:05 PM
Sean Marshall	60 meter hurdles	Final	12:05 PM
Job Mayhue	60 meter hurdles	Final	12:05 PM
Asani Hampton	60 meter dash	Final	12:15 PM
Sierra Hendrix-Williams	60 meter dash	Final	12:15 PM
Job Mayhue	60 meter dash	Final	12:15 PM
Joe McCarthy	60 meter dash	Final	12:15 PM
Desmond Melson	60 meter dash	Final	12:15 PM
Heath Baldwin	1000 meter run	Heptathlon	12:30 PM
Mason Mahacek	1000 meter run	Heptathlon	12:30 PM
Eric Harris	Pole Vault	Final	12:30 PM
Cassidy Henshaw	High Jump	Final	12:45 PM
Alex Klemm	High Jump	Final	12:45 PM
Brandon Piwinski	High Jump	Final	12:45 PM
Max Wagner	High Jump	Final	12:45 PM
Nick Foster	Mile	Final	3:30 PM
Jared Hill	Mile	Final	12:56 PM
Benjamin Jacobs	Mile	Final	12:56 PM
Luke Wallace	Mile	Final	12:56 PM
Andrew Liskowitz	Shot Put	Final	1:00 PM
John Meyer	Shot Put	Final	1:00 PM
Daniel Butael	Triple Jump	Final	1:00 PM
Desmond Melson	400 meter dash	Final	1:22 PM
Anthony Berry	800 meter run	Final	3:30 PM
Evan Meyer	800 meter run	Final	2:02 PM
Joe McCarthy	200 meter dash	Final	2:25 PM
Anthony DeKraker	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Dominic Dimambro	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Nick Foster	3000 meter run	Final	3:30 PM
Isaac Harding	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Will Landowne	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Austin Remick	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Nick Trevisan	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM
Colton Yesney	3000 meter run	Final	2:51 PM

Wolverine Bites

• The Wolverines, led by head coaches Jerry Clayton and James Henry, moved up to No. 28 nationally in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National Track and Field Rating Index (TFRI) that was released Monday (Jan. 27).

• The Wolverines finished eighth at the 2019 Big Ten Indoor Championships, scoring 52 points. With defending shot put champion Andrew Liskowitz leading nine more returning individual scorers from a year ago, the Wolverines put 34 of those points back on the board in 2020. The Wolverines' relay teams -- 4x400 and distance medley -- also scored seven points, with the 4x4 squad having earned outdoor Second-Team All-America honors since last winter. Both teams return three of four members from their 2019 Big Ten roster, with many additional parts to fill the voids.

• Returning All-Americans: Liskowitz (indoor and outdoor shot put); the quartet of Desmond Melson, Ian Davis, Alex Schwedt and Vail Hartman (outdoor 4x400 relay); Jack Aho and Devin Meyrer (cross country)

• Returning Big Ten Indoor Championships scorers: Aho (3,000 meters); Roland Amarteifio (60-meter hurdles); Anthony Berry (800 meters); Daniel Butael (triple jump); Asani Hampton (60 meters); Sierra Hendrix-Williams (60-meter hurdles); Ben Hill (mile); Will Landowne (3,000 meters); Liskowitz (shot put champion); and Job Mayhue (60-meter hurdles)

• Current school record-holders: Liskowitz (indoor and outdoor shot put)

Michigan Student-Athletes Ranked Top-50 Nationally

Name	Event	Rank
Ian Davis	400m	49
Cole Johnson	800m	47
Anthony Berry	800m	19
Cole Johnson	600m	35
Ben Hill	Shot Put	37
Devin Meyrer	60H	5
Joost Plaetinck	Shot Put	22
Josh Zeller	Shot Put	34
Andrew Liskowitz	Weight Throw	4
John Meyer	Shot Put	21
Manning Plater	Shot Put	4

Michigan Student-Athletes Ranked Top-10 in the Big Ten

Name	Event	Rank
Devin Meyrer	3000m	1
Manning Plater	Weight Throw	1
Andrew Liskowitz	Shot Put	2
Joost Plaetinck	5000m	3
Anthony Berry	Mile	4
Josh Zeller	60H	4
John Meyer	Shot Put	6
Jacob Lee	3000m	7
Cole Johnson	Mile	8
Michigan	4x400 Relay	8
Ian Davis	400m	9
Sierra Hendrix-Williams	60H	9
Max Wagner	High Jump	9
Cole Johnson	800m	10
Ben Hill	Mile	10