UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University men's and women's track and field teams competed today (1/13) in the SVSU 'Doug Hansen Open.'  The the men had 14 athletes place in the top-3, while women's team had 12 athletes in the top-3.

The men's team was led by sophomore Frank Sanders (Detroit, Mich./Sterling Heights HS) who earned a NCAA Division II National Provisional Qualifying mark in the high jump clearing a height of 2.04 meters, good for a first place finish.  Sanders also placed first in the long jump competition leaping a distance of 6.44 meters, while teammate Greg Baade (Warren, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate HS) also earned a first place finish in the mile crossing the line at 4:29.87.  Following close behind Baade in the mile was sophomore Chad Scott (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern HS) who timed in at 4:34.95.  Sophomore transfer Cory Niederstadt (Breckenridge, Mich./Breckenridge HS) earned a first place finish in the pole vault competition clearing a height of 4.25 meters, while teammate Raetron Bryant (Burton, Mich./Artherton HS) also placed first in the triple jump leaping a distance of 12.73 meters.  Bryant would also place third in the 200-meter dash crossing the line with a final time of 23.32.  Distance runner Joseph Burelle (Sterling Heights, Mich./Livonia Stevenson HS) earned a first place finish in the 5,000-meter run clocking in at 15:25.00.  Senior thrower Brian Bott (Buckley, Mich./Kingsley HS) placed second in the weight throw compeition with a toss of 15.82 meters, while throwing teammate Jonathan Roosen (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) placed third in the shot with a mark of 13.87 meters.  Junior Tyler Noble (Shepherd, Mich./Shepherd HS) also placed third in the 3,000-meter run clocking in at 9:10.56, while senior middle distance runner Josh Arnold (Clio, Mich./Clio HS) placed second in the 800-meter run with a final time of 1:58.13.  Also placing second in the 400-meter run was sophomore Lee Chiatalas (Fenton, Mich./Linden HS) coming in with a time of 53.26.  Closing out the meet for the Cardinals was the 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Bryant, Sanders, Arnold, and Trevor Opalewski (St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake HS) placed third overall coming in with a final time of 3:37.07.

The Lady Cardinals were led by senior Alycia Wright (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North HS) who earned a NCAA Division II National Provisional Qualifying time of 2:15.89 in the 800-meter run, good for a first place finish.  Following close behind Wright in the 800-meter run was teammate Ashley Meyer (Shepherd, Mich./Shepherd HS) who clocked in at 2:19.84.  Placing first in the open 400-meter run was sophomore Diamond Taylor (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS) who timed in at 1:02.24.  Earning a first place finish in the 5,000-meter run was senior Jean Hollerbach (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Grosse Pointe South HS) who crossed the line at 18:28.90.  The Cardinals swept the 60-meter hurdles with senior Elizabeth Willford (Gladwin, Mich./Gladwin HS) leading the way placing first with a time of 9.49 while freshmen Shae Batten (Kearsley, Mich./Kearsley HS) and Ashley Schropp (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage High School) placed second and third overall clocking in at 9.62 and 9.63, respectively.  Willford would also place tied for second in the pole vault competition clearing a height of 3.44 meters.  Freshman Makenzie Frodle (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) and senior teammate Lauren Hill (Flat Rock, Mich./Flat Rock HS) would both earn second place finishes, Frodle in the high jump with a leap of 1.57 meters, and Hill in the 3,000-meter run with a final time of 10:29.96.  Sophomore Shavonne Roberson (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) also placed second in the 200-meter dash timing in at 27.67, while teammate Elizabeth Sampson (Willis, Mich./Lincoln HS) placed third in the 60-meter dash crossing the line at 8.17.  The 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Sarah Kawiecki (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS), Sydni Clark (Farmington Hills, Mich./Clarenceville HS), Kelsey Bartoloni (Southgate, Mich./Southgate HS), and Taylor would wrap the meet up by placing second crossing the line at 4:08.33.