ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed Friday (Jan. 22) at the Grand Valley State University Bob Eubanks Open.

Both teams competed very well placing a total of 15 athletes in the top-10. Earning the only first place finish for the Cardinals was senior Charlie Richards (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS) who ran a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 1:53.11 in the 800-meter run. Finishing right behind Richards in the 800 was senior Derek Stone (Metamora, Mich./Lapeer East HS) who crossed the line with a time of 1:55.28, good enough for third place. Senior teammate Steve Genther (Laingsburg, Mich./Laingsburg HS) also earned a third place finish in the 3,000-meter run timing at 8:28.73. In the weight throw sophomore Brian Bott (Buckley, Mich./Kingsley HS) tossed the weight a distance of 15.61 meters placing him fifth overall. Freshman distance runner Tyler Noble (Shepherd, Mich./Shepherd HS) placed sixth in the 5,000-meter run finishing with a final time of 15:33. Junior Scott Chevalier (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter HS) and freshman Calvin Sullins (Adrian, Mich./Adrian HS) both took eighth place in their respective events, Chevalier in the 60-meter dash (7.08) and Sullins in the 60-meter hurdles (8.63).


On the women’s side sophomores Sarah Kawiecki (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) and Ashley Meyer (Shepherd, Mich./Shepherd HS) both earned fourth place finishes, Kawiecki in the 400-meter dash (1:00.69) and Meyer in the mile (5:19.45). Earning fifth place finishes for the Cardinals were sophomores Angela Brooks (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon HS), in the 400 timing in at 1:01.38, and transfer Elizabeth Willford (Gladwin, Mich./Gladwin HS), in the pole vault with a height of 3.45 meters. The 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Kawiecki, Alycia Wright (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North HS), Brooks, and Alanah Pietryga (Ogemaw, Mich./Ogemaw Heights HS) earned a sixth place finish timing in at 4:11.44. Senior and Junior distance runners Katie Scott (Mitchell, Ont./Mitchell District HS) and Libby Robinson (Saginaw, Mich./Swan Valley HS) both tied for seventh place in the 5,000-meter run crossing the line simultaneously with a final time of 19:21.35.


The Cardinal track and field teams will be back in action again Friday (Jan. 29) at 3pm when they host the SVSU Indoor Classic.