Track Recap Saluki/USA Open

The SIUC men’s and women’s track and field teams made final tune-ups Friday before their trip to the Missouri Valley Conference Championships this weekend.

Both the Saluki men and women provided a peak performances at the unscored Saluki/USA Open at the Recreation Center Friday.

Advertisement

Senior Raina Larsen led the women’s team with a first-place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes 15.22 seconds to move into third place in the Saluki record book. Larsen also improved on her No. 1 conference ranking in the 800-meter.

Not to be overshadowed, senior Kelly French finished in first place in the 1,000-meter run (2:56.10) in her first time running the event. French’s time also moved her into third place in the Saluki record book.

Women’s coach Don DeNoon said the meet was a positive sign for the conference meet.

We had some really outstanding performances, DeNoon said. Some of the performances really give encouragement as a coach and a team.

I hope it will carry over to the conference meet. It will be exciting if the kids continue this performance this weekend.

Sophomore high jumper and triple jumper Felicia Hill became No. 1 in conference in both events Friday. In the high jump, Hill jumped 5 feet 7.25 inches and jumped 40 feet 6.25 inches in the triple jump to take first for first in both.

In the women’s pole vault, junior Michelle Nitzche broke her own school record with a 10-foot-4-inch jump for a first-place finish among college athletes and third place overall.

Advertisement*

DeNoon said the last two meets have shown great improvement among his athletes.

In the last two meets, we’ve had 42 season-best marks from our team, DeNoon said. It’s really exceptional when you see your team coming together like that.

Other top finishers for the Salukis were sophomore Droso Lavithi with a first-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (8.63 seconds). Sophomore Joy Cutrano ran a season best in the mile run (5:10.41) for a first-place finish, and the women’s distance medley team of senior Mindy Bruck, junior Colleen Bouck and sophomores Leah Nolden and Jenny Monaco placed first (12:23.49).

Leading the men’s side was sophomore Michael Sandusky with a first-place finish among college athletes in the shot put (52 feet 4.5 inches) to move him up to No. 2 in conference.

Other top finishes for the men were freshman Brandon Dell’ Aringa’s second-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (7.88 seconds), while junior Romante Archer placed third in the 200-meter dash (22.20).

Sophomore Jeraldo Henry finished second in the long jump (24 feet 2.5 inches) and the triple jump (49 feet 8.5 inches). Sophomore Brad Bowers finished third in the long jump (23 feet 7.25 inches) for the Salukis.

Men’s coach Bill Cornell said the meet provided a positive outlook for the conference meet.

It’s still going to be awfully tough, Cornell said. It’s good to be peaking at this point, though.

Cornell said the conference meet should come down to Illinois State University and Northern Iowa University.

Realistically, we might have a shot at third place, Cornell said. It would be nice to finish in the top three.

The men and women track and field teams will compete at the MVC championships this weekend in Normal.