Trojans Show Improvement at WashU Invite

Andre Towsend competing in the 400m Hurdles

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team spent this past Friday and Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis. At a meet that included over 1,500 athletes from over 20 teams, the Trojans performed very well, once again rewriting the record books, while turning in two more NAIA national qualifying performances.

Tyler Malone setting new personal best in 800m

MEN
On Friday night under the lights, junior Philiph Tonui competed in the 10,000m race. Running in a separate heat that included the top-18 competitors, Philiph ran to a 5th place finish. His time of 32:00.03 set a qualifying standard for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships. However, Philiph will continue to train to compete in the marathon at the national meet. On Saturday, the Trojans got some great results from the field events. Sophomore Bernardo Massuchin took home the silver in the long jump, turning in a best mark of 6.62m. Newcomer Chris Smith traded in his basketball shoes for some high jump spikes and had a fantastic debut, taking 5th in a highly competitive high jump event. In addition, his leap of 1.90m (6'2.75") set a new school record. In the men's pole vault, sophomore Easton Padden took home a third place finish with a vault of 4.40m (14'5.5"). On the track, Andre Townsend made his season debut in the 400m Hurdles and, despite nursing an injured back that has limited his training, delivered a 4th place finish in the event with a NAIA-qualifying time of 54.56. In the same event, sophomore John Anderson placed 9th with a time of 58.62. In the 800m race, sophomore Zach Lewis ran a strong race, cutting two seconds off of last week's efforts on his way to a time of 2:01.71. Freshman Tyler Malone shaved three seconds off his time, finishing in 2:03.04.

Breanna Newton - New School Record-1500m

WOMEN
The Lady Trojans were led by the outstanding effort of sophomore Holland McCoy, who finished the two-day meet with three top-10 finishes. After placing 4th in the pole vault with a personal best mark of 3.05m (10'0"), she returned on Saturday to tie her personal best in the high jump, with a 7th place effort of 1.50m (4'11"). Holland concluded the meet by finishing 9th in the 400m hurdles, with a time of 1:11.79. Breanna Newton also ran very well for HLG, as the freshman made her debut in the 1500m race memorable, finishing in sixth place with a time of 4:51.77. After that school record setting performance, Breanna came back and finished 12th in the 800m race (2:24.02). Junior Jasman Edmond turned in solid efforts in the 100m (12.84-13th) and 200m (26.81-16th) events, while teammate Sarah Wilson set a new school record in the 400m with her 8th place time of 1:00.92. Sarah came back in the 200m to finish in 17th place with a time of 26.90. Senior Carissa Eichmeyer collected HLG's lone gold of the meet, winning the 5,000m race walk with a time of 32::08.00. Later on Friday night, freshman Nicole Griesbaum set a new school record in the 10,000m run, placing 10th with a time of 41:53.92. Mandi Riddle improved her time in the 400m hurdles, placing 8th overall with a time of 1:08.97. The ladies got two more top-10 efforts in the field events, with Cara Grinde earning the silver in the pole vault (3.20m-10'6") and sophomore Brittni Klundt placing 9th in the high jump (1.50m-4'11"). Freshman Molley Patrick made her track & field debut in the discus and placed 12th with a toss of 32.62m (107'0"). Sophomore Abbie Herrold made her season debut in the hammer throw and turned in a school record effort, placing 19th overall with her throw of 31.00m (101'8").

Sarah Wilson on her way to record setting mark in 400m

Brett Jones clearing the bar in the pole vault

The team will travel back to Fayette, MO to compete in the CMU Asics Invite on Saturday while Nicole Griesbaum, Sarah Erickson, Jason Cline, and Nathan Uding will make the trip to Jackson, TN to compete in the Andrew Jackson Memorial Half-Marathon, with hopes of hitting a qualifying time for the marathon at the NAIA National Championships in May.