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Jones Leads Track & Field To Historic Week, Setting Two New Conference and School Records
Posted: Apr 16, 2023

Jones Leads Track & Field To Historic Week, Setting Two New Conference and School Records

Results Results

OVERVIEW 

MEET: Bison Outdoor Classic/ Bryan Clay Invitational/ Gibson Invitational

LOCATION: Bucknell – Lewisburg, Pa./ Azusa Pacific – Azusa, Calif./ Indiana State – Terre Haute, Ind.

RECAP: Northwood men's and women's track & field competed at the three meets this weekend in Pennsylvania, California, and Indiana. Two school and Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) records fell while 26 athletes set new personal records throughout the meets. 

INSIDE THE MEETS – BRYAN CLAY INVITATIONAL (BCI)

  • History was made over and over at the BCI in Azusa, Calif. Josh Jones set two new Northwood as well as G-MAC records in the process. First, in the 800m invite, Jones clocked a blazing 1:48.45 race, finishing 17th out of 135 racers. He holds the fifth-best DII time this season and the 26th-best in DII history.
  • Dillan Haviland also had spectacular performances of his own. In the 800m, he made it two NU athletes to run a sub-1:50, 800m race, finishing in 1:49.99. His 800m time, is the 12th-best in DII this season. 
  • Haviland set the 1500m G-MAC and NU record at 3:47.64 during the 1500m invite. This was the sixth different Northwood record that Haviland has held across the cross country and track & field sports.
  • Following Haviland's 15000m race, Jones thought it was best to get another record while out west. Haviland's 1500m record lasted about two hours before Jones made it, his. His 3:46.69 finish in the men's 1500m open is now the 19th-best in DII this season.

INSIDE THE MEET – BISON OUTDOOR CLASSIC

FOR THE MEN

  • Will Nemecek (16.88m) and Travis Schepers (16.62m) each cleared the NCAA provisional mark en route to placing seventh and ninth. Nemecek set a new personal record (PR) for the second straight week in the process. They each now hold the 27th and 33rd best throws in DII this season.
  • Preston Earl won the men's 3K with an 8:30.23 finish. He is now second in NU history after setting a new PR.
  • Earl's teammate Elliot Lipe also finished top 10 during the 3K. Lipe finished ninth at 8:43.91 to move in fifth on the all-time 3K NU chart.
  • Earl also saw a three-second PR in the 1500m, Moving into fifth in program history.
  • Schepers also moved into fifth in school history in the discus throw with a 48.04m toss, which is sixth in the G-MAC this year.
  • Brandon Boyd ran a 14:43.19 5K to move into third in school history while setting a new PR.
  • David Kotliarker had a season-best throw of 56.45m during the hammer throw. He was just 32cm off the NCAA provisional mark.

FOR THE WOMEN

  • Emily Coulter continues to inch her way to the school record for the javelin. Coulter set her new PR at 36.64m during the meet. The NU school record is 38.58m.
  • A massive 11-second PR (18:08.59) for Kameron Haag during the 5K invite moved her into sixth in program history.
  • The Timberwolves had three racers in the women's 1500m race. Led by Katherine Haupt at 4:54.34, all three set new career records. Sarah Zehr was the second Timberwolf to cross the finish line at 4:57.63 followed by Taylor Hopkins at a 4:58.87 finish.
  • Zehr set her second PR of the event in the 3K. Her finish at 10:40.93 was a huge, eight-second improvement and is now fifth best in NU 3K history.
  • Lillian Albaugh moved into ninth place in program history in the discus throw, setting a new PR at 36.90m. Albaugh also hit a 13.11m in the shot put, taking 10th to move into third in NU history.
  • Haupt (2:19.14) and Hopkins (2:22.34) also move into sixth and tenth school history in the 800m as both athletes set their second PRs at the meet.

INSIDE THE MEETS – GIBSON INVITATIONAL & MULTIS

FOR THE MEN

  • Northwood's track & field team debuted in the 3000m steeplechase for the first time this season. Lucas Oberle's first steeple race ever ended with him moving into fifth on NU's all-time best list at 9:41.99.
  • Jordan Taiwo competed in his first decathlon of the season, finishing with 5098 points, and placing 16th. He set new PRs for total points with 5098, the 400m (55.06) and 1500m (5:40.62) races, and discus (32.03m). His mark in discus earned him an eighth-place finish. His point total put him in third on NU's all-time decathlon list.
  • In the men's long jump, Xzavia Price jumped a season-best 7.09, finishing fifth. Price's best performance came in the 100m dash. The sprint specialist set his new PR at 10.81.
  • Thomas Heslip set new PRs in both the 200m (22.18) and 400m (49.13). This was Heslip's first time running a sub-50 open 400m. His mark moves him into ninth on Northwood's all-time 400m list.
  • The duo of Blake Vier (14.73) and Matheu Morrison (14.74) each set new PRs in the 110m hurdles with almost identical times. Both also ran the 400m hurdles for the first time in their collegiate careers as Morrison finished just ahead of Vier at 1:02.32 and Vier at 1:03.45.
  • Joseph Shaya set a new six-second PR in the 1500m at 4:05.10.

FOR THE WOMEN

  • The trio of Gabby Jones, Hailey Granata, and Jenna Gaul all competed in the 400m hurdles. Jones recorded a new PR with a team season-best finish at 1:08.24. Granata would be the second Timberwolf to finish at 1:11.31, followed by Gaul at 1:12.35. Gaul's finish was also a PR.
  • In the 100m dash, Molly Kitson (13.06) and Vivian Williams (13.19) posted career bests as well as team-best finishes this season. 
  • Hattie Veenkant and Amanda Kalkman ran the 1500m for the Timberwolves. Veenkant's first collegiate 1500m race resulted in a 5:35.62 finish. Kalkman finished just behind her at 5:41.81.

UP NEXT

  • Northwood track & field is set to travel to Oakland to compete at the Elaine Leigh Invitational Friday and Saturday (April 21-22).