Throws And Distance Squads Turn In Strong Performances At Walsh, Bucknell

*Results from Walsh were not complete at the time of this recap.

WALSH INVITATIONAL / BISON OUTDOOR CLASSIC

MEET: Walsh Invitational

LOCATION: Walsh University - North Canton, Ohio

INSIDE THE MEET – MEN'S T&F

• Freshman Max Lerchen throw the javelin 44.92 meters (147 feet-4 inches) to claim a fifth place finish on his fourth throw of the competition.
• Sophomore Nathan Powers placed ninth in hammer finals on a distance of 49.23 meters (161 feet-6 inches), nearly a 4 meter personal best and moving into fourth all-time in NU history. His previous record of 45.29 meters (148 feet-7 inches) set at last year's GLIAC Outdoor Championships. Powers also posted a seasonal best in the shot put of 14.46 meters (47 feet-5.25 inches) to move into ninth in school history. In the discus, he moved his collegiate best to 39.69 meters (130 feet-2 inches).
• Freshman Zechariah Stickler placed ninth in shot put finals on a collegiate best throw of 14.72 meters (48 feet-3.5 inches), an improvement of both his outdoor best (13.35 meters) and indoor best (13.75 meters). His distance in the shot put ranks him seventh all-time in school history. Stickler was also shy of matching his personal best in the hammer on a mark going 46.94 meters (154 feet).
• Freshman Travis Schepers threw the shot put 15.09 meters (49 feet-6.25 inches) to place sixth for his second personal best in two weeks. His collegiate best of 14.97 meters (49 feet-1.5 inches) came last weekend at the Gibson Invitational. He moved up to fourth all-time in program history.
• Schepers also claimed an eighth place finish in the discus on a mark of 44.63 meters (146 feet-5 inches) for a new personal best. His mark moves him up to fourth in program history. It's a personal best by more than a meter, betting his mark of 43.46 meters (142 feet-7 inches) at the Bellarmine Invitational earlier this spring.
• Sophomore Hunter Berecz placed seventh in the shot put (14.95 meters/49 feet-0.75 inches) and threw the hammer 47.90 meters (157 feet-2 inches). He also had a season best throw in discus, sending it 40.72 meters (133 feet-7 inches).
• Freshman Dylan Powers continues to show improvement in the hammer throw, this time on a mark of 41.22 meters (135 feet-3 inches). His previous personal best was 39.17 meters (128 feet-6 inches) in his season opener at the Bellarmine Invitational this year.

INSIDE THE MEET – WOMEN'S T&F

• Senior Riley Johnson placed second in the javelin throw on a mark of 34.18 meters (112 feet-1 inch), while earning a seventh-place finish in the discus with a season best throw of 39.69 meters (130 feet-2 inches).
• Sophomore Jessica Marvin opened up her series of hammer throws with a lifetime best mark of 47.55 meters (156 feet) to place eighth in finals. Her mark is the third-best in school history and improved upon her season best distance of 45.79 meters (150 feet-3 inches) set last weekend. Marvin also placed fourth in the discus on a mark of 40.45 meters (132 feet-8 inches).
• Junior Hannah Gearhart posted a day's best mark of 47.49 meters (155 feet-9 inches) in hammer to place ninth, a throw that ranks her fourth in school history. Her previous personal best was 46.01 meters (150 feet-11 inches) set at the Ashland Alumni Open last season.
• Sophomore Jessica Kursinsky snagged two personal bests this weekend. Kursinsky placed sixth in the shot put on a throw of 13.00 meters (42 feet-8 inches) for a collegiate best and an improvement upon her mark as the second best shot putter in school history. She also threw the hammer 46.94 meters (154 feet) for the fifth-best throw in NU history. Her mark is over a seven meter improvement from her previous lifetime best of 39.31 meters (129 feet).
• Redshirt freshman Taky Ezell picked up a new personal best in the discus throw. Her mark of 36.65 meters (120 feet-3 inches) ranks her seventh in NU history.

MEET: Bison Outdoor Classic

LOCATION: Bucknell University - Lewisburg, Penn.

INSIDE THE MEET – MEN'S T&F

• Freshman Chase Clark clocked the fourth-fastest time in school history for the 1500 meters. In the invitational section, he ran a strong time of 3:54.65 in his first collegiate race in the event.
• Junior Trestin Mancillas-Finnerty crossed the line in 3:55.71 to earn a fifth-place finish in the 1500 meter unseeded section. A personal best time, he moves himself from sixth to fifth in program history. His fastest time coming into today's meet was 3:56.50 set at this meet last year.
• Sophomore Michael Allen ran 4:00.57 for a personal best. His previous coming into the meet was 4:03.28 at last week's Gibson Invitational.
• Senior Dylan Rocha ran 9:31.94 in the 3000 meter steeplechase, about two seconds shy of matching his lifetime best in the event.
• The Timberwolves featured five men in the 800 meters. Freshmen Josiah Morse, Netunji Paige, Clark, and Stephen Barker clocked times of 1:54.15, 1:54.63, 1:55.47, and 1:55.83 respectively. Barker and Paige both ran season best times. Mancillas-Finnerty crossed in 1:56.40 to round out the runners for Northwood.

INSIDE THE MEET – WOMEN'S T&F

• In the 1500 meter unseeded section, sophomore Madi Brooks ran a personal best time of 4:53.73 for a 2.2 second improvement upon her previous record of 4:55.93 set a few weeks prior at the Bellarmine Invitational. She moves up to seventh all-time in program history. Brooks also ran the 3000 meters in 10:51.15 for the seventh fastest time in school history and a collegiate best.
• Sophomore Amanda Aquinaga clocked a collegiate best in the 800 meters. Her time of 2:20.43 moves up to sixth all-time in program history. Her previous outdoor best time was 2:23.13 at the Gibson Invitational last weekend.

UP NEXT: The track & field teams will compete at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, Calif. Thursday-Saturday (April 18-20), Al Owens Classic in Allendale, Mich, and the Ashland Alumni Open in Ashland Ohio Friday-Saturday.

Lauren Ellsworth / T&F