The Slippery Rock outdoor track and field team took full advantage of competing at home when they hosted the Slippery Rock Open last Thursday.
“It’s definitely a huge adrenaline rush competing at home,” sophomore Anthony Stango said. “We’re used to that track and training on it year-round. Everyone had a great meet with PRs (personal records) and improvements across the board.”
The men’s team won nine events and the women’s team won seven to dominate the meet.
Junior DJ Chisom competed in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, recording his season-best times in each.
In the 100-meter dash, Chisom placed first with a time of 10.77 seconds. Also in the event was senior Vanere Maynard who placed second with 11.09 seconds. Maynard’s time qualified him for the PSAC Championships. Chisom placed second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.25 seconds.
The Rock claimed the top six spots in the 400-meter dash, led by freshman Hunter Williams. Williams took first in the event with a time of 49.99 seconds and was followed by freshman Monte Chapman (second, 50.18), junior Kevin Jewel (third, 51.85), sophomore Devin Sauers (fourth, 52.08), freshman Nick Shrift (fifth, 52.17), and sophomore Nathaniel Helfferich (sixth, 53.18).
Senior Dan Hedglin and junior Ethan Geisler took the top two spots in the 110-meter hurdles, both improving their previous PSAC qualifying times. Hedglin placed first in the event with a time of 15.01 seconds and Geisler placed second at 15.28 seconds.
Slippery Rock also swept the 400-meter hurdles. Geisler took the win with a time of 54.21 seconds, sophomore Trevor Foley (second, 54.72), Hedglin (third, 54.83), senior Michael Dicocco (fourth, 56.57), followed by Stango (fifth, 57.41), Jonathan Boyd (sixth, 57.71), and Donald Robinson (seventh, 1:01.74).
The Rock has six of the top-20 400-meter hurdlers in the conference, Stango said. Practices are very competitive and it helps to push the athletes to train hard every day. They all want each other to succeed, which has helped contribute to their success.
In the pole vault, junior Ryan Camody placed first with a clearance of 4.45 meters. Sophomores Drew Coscia and David Caldwell tied for third with matching clearances of 3.15 meters.
Senior Terrece Draper won the triple jump with a jump of 13.95 meters.
Freshman Jaron Martin recorded a time of 16:28.53 to win the 5,000-meter run.
Leading the women’s team in their success was freshman Katelyn Wetzel who recorded her first collegiate wins in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash.
Wetzel posted a time of 12.49 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 25.62 seconds in the 200-meter.
Joining Wetzel in the top-five for both events was freshman Samantha Zampetti and sophomore Christina Ransom.
In the 100-meter dash, Zampetti placed third with a time of 13.03 seconds and Ransom came in fifth at 13.20 seconds. Ransom took third place in the 200-meter at 26.81 seconds with Zampetti right behind her in fourth place with a time of 27.01 seconds.
The Rock took four of the top-five spots in the 800-meter dash, led by a winning run from freshman Janine Powis who ran a time of 2:16.21.
In second place was senior Caitlin Hancox, recording a time of 2:18.14. Junior Mara Polnar took fourth place (2:30.40) and sophomore Kristen Koontz took fifth (2:34.43).
Slippery Rock’s pole vaulters all posted PSAC qualifying clearances.
Senior Kelly Fischer won the event with a clearance of 3.51 meters. Junior Angela Schroeder came in second at 3.35 meters, and freshmen Keriann Hill, Emily Schubert and Emily Vaughn tied for third place clearing 3.10 meters.
Junior Lexi Arnold won the javelin with a throw of 40.99 meters.
In the field events, sophomore Jamie Rylands placed third in the high jump clearing 1.60 meters.
“The team is going to do great these next couple of meets,” Wetzel said. “The days are counting down until the PSACs. This is the time where everyone is extra determined and working hard to achieve everything they have worked for this season.”
The Rock heads to Kutztown, PA for the Mondschein Multi Event for a two-day meet this Thursday and Friday.
