Michigan
B1G SPIRE Invitational
National Contenders Show Out at SPIRE for Michigan Men
2/13/2021 4:41:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Site: Geneva, Ohio (SPIRE Institute)
Event: SPIRE B1G Invitational (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 19 -- host, Silverston Invitational (U-M Indoor Track Building), TBA
• Complete Results (PDF)
GENEVA, Ohio -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team was firing on all cylinders on the final day at the SPIRE Big Ten Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 13) as multiple Wolverines across different event groups posted results that put them in contention for NCAA Championships qualification.
Tom Dodd smashed through the four-minute barrier in the mile, Ayden Owens likely clinched his trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships in his Michigan heptathlon debut, John Meyer bolstered his chances of qualifying for nationals and Nick Foster became the second Wolverine in 2021 to break eight minutes over 3,000 meters to headline an impressive day at SPIRE.
After two straight 4:03 mile performances to start his U-M career before the two-week U-M activities pause, the Englishman Dodd clocked a speedy 3:58.47 and slashed more than four seconds off his personal record to vault himself into the NCAA Championships qualifying picture.
His time was second only to Big Ten cross country champion George Kusche of Nebraska, who clocked 3:57.74. Indiana's Matthew Schadler also dipped below four minutes.
Depending on results this weekend, Dodd's time currently ranks 10th nationally. Over the past three years, the average time needed to qualify as one of 16 NCAA Championships competitors has been 3:58.70.
Also impressive in his Michigan mile debut was Oli Raimond, who ran 4:02.52 for fifth. Only five freshmen in school history have run the mile faster now than the Australian first-year collegian.
Though not technically a newcomer, Owens completed his first-ever heptathlon in a Michigan jersey with a 5,751-point performance that immediately moved him to No. 2 in school history and into the top-five nationally.
After a strong first day of action, Owens approached his career-bests in the 60-meter hurdles (7.90 seconds), pole vault (4.50m/14 feet, 9.25 inches) and 1,000 meters (2:48.26) to secure that will almost certainly qualify him for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Also impressive in second place was Heath Baldwin, who posted a career-best 5,448-point score that propelled him to No. 4 in school history and into the top 20 nationally. He logged new personal records in five of the seven events over the course of the two-day competition.
Headlining the field events, Meyer moved to No. 3 in school history (up from No. 5) with a 19.32m (63-4.75) heave in the third round to take second behind only multiple-time world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs. He also finished ahead of teammate Andrew Liskowitz, who has no indoor eligibility remaining, as the 2020 NCAA Indoor shot put leader finished third at 19.11m (62-8.5).
The performance moved Meyer into the top-16 nationally as of publication, putting him in better position to qualify for his first NCAA Indoor Championships.
Just outside of that top-16 threshold is likely where Foster will land after dipping under eight minutes with a 7:59.23 effort. He broke away from Nebraska's Dais Malebana and teammate Christian Hubaker on the final lap to sprint home to seven-minute territory -- where only 18 other men in school history have trod before.
He is now the second Wolverine to accomplish that feat this season, joining Tom Brady, and the third active man on the roster to do it along with Jack Aho.
Hubaker nearly joined him in third at 8:01.82, with Austin Remick following in fourth in 8:06.49. All three scored significant indoor college personal bests in the event: 21.9 seconds for Foster, 13.29 seconds for Hubaker and a whopping 27.36 seconds for Remick.
These results, combined with Friday's strong showing in the 5,000 meters led by sub-14:00 Devin Meyrer, portend a strong cross country season for the Wolverines in March.
Wolverines also packed up near the top of the 60-meter hurdles standings, as Josh Zeller and Job Mayhue were second and third in season's best times of 7.91 and 8.05, respectively.
Michigan will return to Ann Arbor next weekend to host the Silverston Invitational on Friday (Feb. 19) at the U-M Indoor Track Building, in what will be the final tune-up ahead of the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Feb. 25-27.
Full Michigan Results by Event
Q = automatic qualifier to final; q = at-large qualifier to final
200 meter dash (Friday)
Final
16. Austin Lin / 22.28 [New PR]
400 meter dash
Final
6. Austin Lin / 48.08 [New PR]
9. Dubem Amene / 48.32 [New PR]
12. Vail Hartman / 48.46
19. Leo Gabaron / 50.20 [New PR]
600 meter run (Friday)
Final
11. Dubem Amene / 1:21.36
13. Leo Gabaron / 1:23.37
800 meter run
Final
11. Cole Johnson / 1:52.03
12. Derrick Simmons / 1:52.09 [New PR]
Mile
Final
2. Tom Dodd / 3:58.47 [New PR]
5. Oli Raimond / 4:02.52
6. Anthony Berry / 4:07.19
3000 meter run
Final
1. Nick Foster / 7:59.23 [New PR]
3. Christian Hubaker / 8:01.82 [New PR]
4. Austin Remick / 8:06.49 [New PR]
11. Michael Hancock / 8:24.50
13. Joe Meyers / 8:26.26 [New PR]
15. Anthony Hancock / 8:32.46
5000 meter run (Friday)
Final
1. Devin Meyrer / 13:52.83 [New PR]
4. Tom Brady / 14:04.02 [New PR]
6. James Gedris / 14:11.05 [New PR]
7. Jacob Branch / 14:15.94 [New PR]
12. Zach Stewart / 14:36.20
14. Jack Spamer / 14:40.93
60 meter hurdles
Final
2. Josh Zeller / 7.91
3. Job Mayhue / 8.05
Prelims
3. Josh Zeller / 8.02Q
7. Job Mayhue / 8.23q
High Jump
Final
4. Cassidy Henshaw / 2.03m (6-8)
Shot Put
Final
2. John Meyer / 19.32m (63-4.75) [New PR]
Weight Throw (Friday)
Final
3. Eli Winter / 17.42m (57-1.75) [New PR]
Heptathlon
Final
1. Ayden Owens / 5,751 points
2. Heath Baldwin / 5,448 points [New PR]
4. Mason Mahacek / 5,152 points
Ayden Owens
60 meter dash / 6.83 (944 pts) / Place: 1
Long Jump / 7.19m (23-7) (859 pts) [New PR] / Place: 1
Shot Put / 14.12m (46-4) (736 pts) / Place: 1
High Jump / 1.84m (6-0.5) (661 pts) / Place: 3
60 meter hurdles / 7.90 (1007 pts) / Place: 1
Pole Vault / 4.50m (14-9.25) (760 pts) / Place: 1
1000 meter run / 2:48.26 (784 pts) / Place: 1
Heath Baldwin
60 meter dash / 7.33 (769 pts) [New PR] / Place: 4
Long Jump / 6.75m (22-1.75) (755 pts) [New PR] / Place: 2
Shot Put / 13.86m (45-5.75) (720 pts) [New PR] / Place: 2
High Jump / 1.99m (6-6.25) (794 pts) / Place: 2
60 meter hurdles / 8.25 (920 pts) / Place: 3
Pole Vault / 4.40m (14-5.25) (731 pts) [New PR] / Place: 3
1000 meter run / 2:50.63 (759 pts) [New PR] / Place: 4
Mason Mahacek
60 meter dash / 7.22 (806 pts) / Place: 3
Long Jump / 6.51m (21-4.25) (700 pts) / Place: 3
Shot Put / 11.38m (37-4) (569 pts) [New PR] / Place: 4
High Jump / 2.02m (6-7.5) (822 pts) / Place: 1
60 meter hurdles / 9.05 (735 pts) / Place: 4
Pole Vault / 4.50m (14-9.25) (760 pts) / Place: 1
1000 meter run / 2:50.50 (760 pts) / Place: 3
Players Mentioned
