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BAY CITY, Mich. - University of Findlay senior Lyndon Johnson (Southfield, Mich.) and Lake Superior State University senior Jonathon Allen (Lansing, Mich.) were named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) men's outdoor track and field "Athletes of the Week," respectively.
GLIAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week:
Lyndon Johnson - Findlay
Senior, Sprints
Southfield, Mich.
Junior Joe Horn excelled in Ashland’s first home track meet in over 25 years. At the Ashland Alumni Open, Horn won the 400 meter at 46.91 and the 200 meter at 21.32. He was also part of the 4x400 meter relay that took first (3.13.34). The quartet consisted of Edwin Smith, Nick Bellanco, Horn and Cory Lamar. Horn’s time in the 400 is the fourth fastest time in the nation at the Division II level this season.
GLIAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week:
Jonathon Allen - Lake Suprior State
Senior, Jumps
Lansing, Mich.
Lake Superior State junior Jonathon Allen (Lansing, Mich.) was a double winner at the Northwood Invitational on April 30. He won the long jump with a distance of 7.10 meters and the triple jump at 15.32 meters. His best outdoor triple jump performance of the year to date was 15.46 meters set on April 10 at Big Rapids. He has already met the NCAA automatic qualifying standard and is ranked fifth nationally in the triple jump.
-----GLIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Weekly Notes-----
Ashland Eagles
The Eagles were well represented at this year’s Jesse Owens Classic, which was held Friday and Saturday, Apr. 30-May 1. The Eagles did not go home without some hardware. Kurt Roberts claimed a gold medal in the shot put with a throw of 61 feet, 6.75 inches. His throw Saturday gave him plenty of room over Penn State’s Blake Eaton, who was second (59-00.25). AU’s D.J. Duke was 14th (54-08.75). AU’s 4X4 relay won a bronze medal, finishing in 3:09.14. Mississippi State took first place (3:05.70) and Ohio State was the runnerup (3:06.89). The AU quartet consisted of Edwin Smith, Nick Bellanco, Joe Horn and Cory Lamar. Saturday’s time is a school record and puts the Eagles third in the country (NCAA Division II). Smith also had a strong finish in the 400 where he placed seventh (47.51). Tavaris Tate of Mississippi State won the event in 45.26. Lamar was 11th (47.94). The men’s 4X1 relay was ninth, clocking in at 41.22. That foursome included DeAndre Davis, Bellanco, Horn and Lamar. Alan Dunson was 10th in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 53.91. The Eagles compete this week at the GLIAC Championships at Ferris State.
Ferris State Bulldogs
The Ferris State University men’s outdoor track and field team held its final tune-up for the 2010 GLIAC Championships by taking part in the Northwood Invitational on Friday (April 30) in Midland, Mich.Senior Mike Mangieri placed first in the 1,500 meters (4:02.18) and senior Greg Burns claimed the pole vault (15-7) in leading the Ferris State men’s team. Sophmore J.J. Vandenburg earned runner-up laurels in the hammer throw (162-7) and junior Alex Best finished second in the 3,000 meters (9:01.03) while junior Derek Childs placed fourth (9:19.79) in the same event. Freshman Kyle Walch was fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (16.88). Freshman Gary Atkins claimed fifth place in the 100 meters (11.63), senior Dan Volk was fifth in the 800 meters (2:00.34) and freshman Jordan Slate wound up sixth in the 1,500 meters (4:19.73). The Bulldog men also placed third in the 4x400-meter relay (3:35.88) with a quartet of freshman Michael Baldwin, Atkins, freshman Derrick Bartlett and Volk. FSU will host the GLIAC Championships this Wednesday to Friday, May 5-7, at Top Taggart Field.
Findlay Oilers
Lyndon Johnson led the way for the Oilers at the Jesse Owens Classic as he claimed first place in the 200-meter dash with a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 21.16 to go along with a fourth place finish in the 100-meter dash, crossing the finish line in a provisional time of 10.47. Curtis Smithey had a third place finish in the 400-meter dash as he tied his own school record with a provisional qualifying time of 47.18 and teamed with Johnson, Simon Bernard and Greg Schaible to add a seventh place finish in the 4x400-meter relay at 3:14.23, a provisional mark as well. Cody Crockett took ninth in the javelin at 175’05. Derrick Vicars was 11th in the discus with a provisional qualifying toss of 164’10 while Schaible finished 19th in the 400-meter at 48.72. Vicars was also 27th in the hammer throw with a provisional qualifying mark of 181’11.
Grand Valley State Lakers
Grand Valley State competed at the Illinois Twilight on Friday, April 30 and had two athletes automatically qualify for the 2010 Outdoor Championships. Matt Armstrong (Lansing, Mich./Sexton) set a new school record in the shot put and hit the automatic mark. He finished first with a toss of 57’9.75", while Donny Stiffler (Webberville, Mich./Williamston) followed in second with an automatic mark of 56’8". Mitch Bosch (Hamilton, Mich.) placed third in the discus with a throw of 158’11", while Armstrong finished fourth (158’7"). In the hammer throw, Clay Lipski (Grand Rapids, Mich./Coopersville) finished third with a toss of 175’11", while Andrew Gorley (Novi, Mich.) took fifth (168’). In the pole vault, Matt Gordeneer (Vermontville, Mich./Maple Valley) hit the provisionally mark with a third place finish (15’11"), while Quinton Dennis (Lansing, Mich./Waverly) finished fourth (15’5"). Joey Latz (Elsie, Mich.) took home first in the long jump with a distance of 21’9", while Ryan Rademacher (Grand Rapids, Mich./Kenowa Hills) tied for second (21’6.75"). Nate Miller (Trenton, Mich.) finished third in the high jump with a jump of 6’8".
Hillsdale Chargers
The Chargers will be back in action again May 5th, 6th, and 7th as they travel to Big Rapids, Michigan to compete in the Outdoor Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Championships.
Lake Superior State Lakers
Junior Jonathon Allen (Lansing, Mich.) was a double winner at the five-team Northwood Invitational on April 30, taking the long jump in 7.10 meters and the triple jump with a distance of 15.32 meters. Freshman Sean Brandon Jr. (Flint, Mich.) was the meet’s top quartermiler, winning the 400-meter dash in :50.95. Junior John Preczewski (Roscommon, Mich.) won the high jump at 1.85 meters. LSSU’s only runner-up finish was in the men’s 4x400-meter relay. Third-place awards went to senior Jake Hoover (Capac, Mich.) in the 3,000-meter run, Preczewski in the 400-meter hurdles and freshman Dillon Menard (Negaunee, Mich.) in the long jump.
Michigan Tech Huskies
The Huskies were idle this week and compete next in a GLIAC Championships at Ferris State May 5-7.
Northwood Timberwolves
The Northwood University men’s track and field teams hosted their final home event of the 2010 season Friday afternoon (April 30), taking part in the Northwood Invite, no team scoring was taken in the event, which was held at the Fisher Track. Alma, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan all took part in the event. Kevin Lawson (Lansing, Mich./Sexton) earned his third-straight victory in the 100 meter dash this spring, his time of 10.70 is a personal-best in the event. Jared Fischer (Unionville, Mich./USA) was the winner in the 800, clocking a season-best time of 1:53.09, while Marcus Bennett (Redford, Mich./Thurston) claimed the win in the 110 hurdles (14.87). Craig Borsenik (Durand, Mich./Corunna) tossed a season-best mark of 174-08 in the hammer to finish first. Both the 4X100 (41.66) and the 4X400 (3:24.41) relay teams had season-best times in their victories. Northwood will compete at the GLIAC Championships May 5-7.
Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
The Saginaw Valley State University men’s track and field team was idle this past week. The Cardinals will be back in action again May 5th, 6th, and 7th as they travel to Big Rapids, Michigan to compete in the Outdoor Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Championships.
Tiffin Dragons
Tiffin University had a number of high-placing finishers at the Toledo Invitational, with TU’s Ramone Brant winning the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.55. Three other men’s track athletes came in second, with Jason Bumb (1500) posting a time of 4:02.16, the 4x100 relay posting a 42.99, and John Pemberton (shot put) making a throw of 49-11.25. Other top men’s finishers included Joe Candito (6th in 100), Bryon Toran (6th in 200), Jordan Selfe (5th in 400 in 51.28), Vyshawn Arnold (5th in 400 hurdles in 58.49), Alex Boyd (4th in pole vault with 14-1.25), Logan Garcia (7th in long jump), Ray Robinson (3rd in discus with 156-9), Corey Harrold (7th in hammer), and Michael McVety (6th in javelin).