Indiana Tech: Warrior Athletics

Track & Field Opens 2012-13 Season in Historic Fashion

November 30, 2012

For Immediate Release

Allendale, Mich. – The Indiana Tech track & field teams opened up their 2012-13 season on the campus of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and at IPFW in Fort Wayne on Saturday. The Warriors would walk away from the events with the most successful debut weekend in the history of the program.

The Warriors would finish the weekend with over 30 top-10 finishes, 12 automatic national standards, three school records, and two new freshman records.

Highlights from the meets include:

Adella King (7.51), Katelyn Lewis- running unattached (7.56), Jewel Thomas (7.73), and Patricia Thompson –running unattached (7.84) in the 60 meter dash.

Freshman John Broaden (Indianapolis, IN/North Central) broke the indoor school record in the 200 meter dash with a 21.81 performance, becoming the first male athlete to qualify for indoor nationals in the 200 in school history. He was followed closely by junior Dontaey Paige (Ft. Wayne, IN/Heritage) in 22.15, a top-5 indoor time in school history.

Adella King (24.25), Chloe Brooks (24.69), and Kirsten Flake (24.97) all hit the A standard in the 200, while Shayla France hit the B standard. Adella’s time is the second fastest indoor time in school history behind her Nationals performance from last season.

The women’s 400 would be a banner race for the Warriors with Zalika Dixon running a 55.89 for the third fastest time in school history. She was joined by Chloe Brooks (56.47) and Kirsten Flake (58.28) with A standards. Shayne Armbrister (58.82) and Chauntiel Smith (59.49) also hit the B standard.

The men’s 400 would see an indoor personal-best by senior Brandon Reynard (Muncie, IN/Jay County) in 49.44, but he would be edged out by freshman Dareyus Person (Columbus, OH/Eastmoor) in 49.38, which just missed the freshman record in the event. Strong season debuts were also turned in by Chris Goodman (Rochester, IN/Rochester), Alex Zolman (Churubusco, IN/Churubusco), and Eric Milner (St. Louis, MO/Cardinal Ritter) in the event.

The men’s 600 would provide two top-10 all-time performances with Nick Radionoff (Benzie, MI/Benzie Central) grabbing a B standard in 1:21.36 and Seth Spangler (Columbia City, IN/Columbia City) just missing the standard in 1:22.72. On the women’s side a 1:40.60 was turned in by freshman Jasmine Lott (Hampton, VA/Bethel). Her time is almost identical to the season debut of Cherie Gaines (Farmington, Hills, MI/Farmington Hills North) last season, so expect big things to continue during the indoor season.

The men’s 1000 would see the first standard in the event since Brett Tipton in 2008 with freshman Matt Adair (Ft. Wayne, IN/Concordia Lutheran) making his college debut in 2:32.70, just one second off the school record.

In the 60 hurdles, Robert Rose (Indianapolis, IN/Kansas City CC), Shayla France, and Zalika Dixon would all grab B standards in the event, while Kellie Littlejohn (Southfield, MI/Southfield) would run a career-best 9.07 to grab the A standard for the Warriors.

Events on the track would conclude with both Warrior 4x400’s grabbing the A standard with the women’s team made up of Shayne Armbrister, Jewel Thomas, Shayla France, and Chauntiel Smith coming in at 3:55.12. The men’s relay of Dareyus Person, Robert Rose, Harris Edwards (Grand Ledge, MI/Grand Ledge), and D’Quan Ruth (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) ran a 3:16.62. There were also some great splits on the B and C relays.

In the field, the Warriors would continue their strong performances in the jumps. Sophomore Taylor Meredyk (Walled Lake, MI/Walled Lake Central) and freshman Jeslyn Zimmerly (Topeka, IN/Westview) would both clear 11-2 in the women’s pole vault.

In the high jump, Tech would get two A standards from David Army (Elkhart, IN/Elkhart Central) and Herb Gary (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) as the All-American duo punched their return tickets to nationals. Freshman Alex Rowe (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) grabbed a B standard in his first college event.

In the jumps, Ashley Watley (Eastpoint, MI/Eastpoint), Cora Tatum (Ft. Wayne, IN/Elmhurst), and Darryl Marlow (Norcross, GA/Chattahoochee Tech) would all grab B standards in the long jump with Marlow’s 23-0 foot jump grabbing the indoor school record. In the triple jump, Stacia Murray (Ft. Wayne, IN/Elmhurst) would only need one jump to grab an A standard and her leap of 38-3 would break her own indoor school record in the event. TJ Williams (Stafford, VA/North Stafford) would grab the freshman record in the event.

The highlight from the throws would be Erica Schwering (Greensburg, IN/Greensburg) throwing a 38-11 in the women’s shot put.

Coach Edgar on the meet: “We could not have asked for a much better debut weekend from our athletes. To get so many national qualifiers, school records, and PR’s this early is a testament to the work the athletes put in during conditioning and through our early season practices. It is also a testament to the work our assistant coaches put in with our athletes to help them reach these marks. More importantly I feel that we supported each other better than we ever have, which is a huge key to our season this year. I think we can build on this next week at Findlay and send ourselves into Christmas break very satisfied with the effort we have put out. It was a great day to be a Warrior!”

For more information on Indiana Tech athletics please call the Athletic Office at 260-422-5561 ext. 2492 or visit our website at http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics