April 4, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format
Complete Women's Results in PDF Format

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The 2009 Michigan State track & field program continued its outdoor season at its only home meet of the season, the Spartan Invitational, held Saturday at the Ralph Young Track & Field Complex. In all, nine Spartans took home event titles, six on the women's side and three on the men's side. Shane Wells (Romulus, Mich.) continued his fine performances as of late, winning the 110m hurdles in a personal-best time of 14.23, setting another NCAA Regional qualifying time. Jake Hamilton (Troy, Mich.) gave the Spartan two hurdle event titles on the day as he won the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.54.

The women's 4x100m relay team, consisting of junior Michelle Gay (Lakewood, Kan.), sophomore Erica Mann (Battle Creek, Mich.), freshman Coryn Marzejon (Huntley, Ill.) and sophomore Charelise Davis (Pittsburgh, Pa.), clocked in at 46.46, earning top honors in the event. The event title is the team's first this season and was faster than the time, 46.72, that they posted en-route to a second-place nod at the USF Quad Meet last week.

The women continued their success in the sprints as the meet shifted to the 200m dash. Gay took home the event title after clocking in at 25.23, a personal-best time. Freshman Alysson Bodenbach (Newaygo, Mich.) placed third in the race by clocking in at 25.61, also a personal-best, while competing unattached. Marzejon placed fifth in the event, giving MSU three runners in the top five of the event.

Senior Bill Peterson (Lake Orion, Mich..) earned an event title in the men's 1,500m run, clocking in at 4:01.13. Joining Peterson in the top five of the event was senior Patrick Grosskopf (Corruna, Mich.), who clocked in at 4:03.96, placing fifth.

The women's 800m run featured plenty of big performances for the Spartans as four runners placed in the top six in the event, highlighted by Lisa Senakiewich (Davison, Mich.), who finished second with a time of 2:12.17. Senior Nicole Bush (Wyoming, Mich.) placed third overall with a time of 2:12.30 while Sarah Price (Mankato, Minn.) and Emily MacLeod (Cincinnati, Ohio) rounded out the field in fifth and sixth, respectively. The 800m run was an off-event for each of the four runners in the race. Spencer Beatty (Harbor Springs, Mich.) took home second place in the men's 800m run with a time of 1:56.25. Freshman Joe Banyai (Royal Oak, Mich.), who was competing unattached, finished third in the race with a time of 1:56.68.

The Spartans saw plenty of success in the field events as well. Isaac Marshall (Rochester, Mich.) finished second in the long jump with a mark of 6.74m ( 22-1 1/2), Katie Guikema (Byron Center, Mich.) earned first in the women's long jump with a mark of 5.46m (17-11) and pole vaulters Katie Shaw (Lakeview, Mich.) and Ashley Smith (Ceresco, Mich.) took home first and second in the event with marks of 3.85m (12-7 1/2) and 3.75m (12-3 1/2), respectively.

The throwers also saw success, highlighted by the discus throw, which saw three Spartans place in the top five. Freshman Lonnie Pugh (Gross Ile, Mich.) posted a throw of 52.23m (171-9), placing second. Brad Wentzel (Allegan, Mich.) and Anthony Agrusa (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) finished third and fourth, respectively. Wentzel's throw of 52.10m (170-11) is a personal-best while Agrusa posted a throw of 50.74m (166-6). Brent McCarrick (Morrice, Mich.) also turned in a third-place finish in the shot put, rounding out the top performances for the throwers on the men's side.

The throwers on the women's side also saw plenty of success, highlighted by freshman Beth Rohl (New Buffalo, Mich.). Rohl, who was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year during the indoor season, won the discus while competing unattached with a throw of 49.31m (161-9). Ashley Lawrence (Troy, Mich.) took second in the shot put with a mark of 13.61m (44-8), rounding out the top performances for the women.

MSU will continue its outdoor season at the Sun Angel Invitational, hosted by Arizona State next Saturday in Tempe, Ariz. For all the latest on Spartan track & field, stay tuned to www.msuspartans.com.