OXFORD, Ohio – The Saginaw Valley State University men’s and women’s track teams both had outstanding performances as they traveled to Oxford, Ohio to compete in the two day Miami University Invitational (Apr. 10 – Apr. 11).

The men had an excellent showing at the meet, placing first in four events. Senior Sam Tilmon (Romulus, Mich.) took first place in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 54.98 and third in the 110 meter hurdles at 15.01. Saginaw Valley had a great showing in the triple jump, sweeping the top two places. Senior Eltaro Hooper (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Lincoln) took first place with a distance of 15.25 meters and freshman Ryan Jayne (East Lansing, Mich.) took second with a distance of 13.15 meters. Sophomore Josh Koglin (Kimball, Mich. / Marysville) finished second place in the hammer throw with a distance of 55.62 meters.

Junior Brock Humphries (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) took fifth in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 16.01 and junior Ryan Irwin (Harbor Beach, Mich.) finished eighth with a time of 16.53. Junior Scott Chevalier (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Dexter HS) had a great showing at the meet, finishing second place in the 100 meter dash with a final time of 11.05 and fourth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23.31.

Senior Charlie Richards (Goodrich, Mich.) took second place in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:53.27, while sophomore Jesse Evans (Cheboygan, Mich.) took third in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:20.08. Also with a third place finish was junior Steve Genther (Laingsburg, Mich.) in the 5000 meter run with a final time of 4.46.60. Finishing seventh place in the 1500 meter run was junior Derek Stone (Metamora, Mich. / Lapeer East) with a time of 3:56.20 and freshman Logan Hebekeuser (Corunna, Mich.) in the 400 meter dash with a time of 50.24. The relay team of Richards, freshman Joshua Arnold (Clio, Mich.), junior Mark Badowsky (Lincoln Park, Mich.), and Hebekeuser took fifth place in the 4x400 with a time of 3:25.67.

Finishing in the fifth place position was the 4x100 meter relay team of Tilmon, Irwin, senior Dan Benjamin Columbiaville, Mich. / Otisville-Lakeville) and Chevalier with a time of 43.26. Senior Sean Egan (Marysville, Mich.) took first place in the shot put event with a distance of 16.26 meters. Senior Joe Dugall (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Chippewa Valley) had a first place finish in the javelin throw with a distance of 49.08 meters. Also placing in the javelin throw was Irwin in sixth place with a distance of 44.66 meters, junior Luke Dinnan (Midland, Mich.) placing seventh with 42.84 meters, junior Ryan Simmons (Port Austin, Mich. / Kinde-North Huron) in eighth place with a distance of 42.82 meters and Badowsky with a ninth place finish at 40.31 meters.

Taking sixth place in the high jump was Dugall with a height of 1.95 meters. Badowsky would also have a solid performance in the long jump contest, finishing fourth overall with a distance of 6.33 meters, while sophomore Trevor Opalewski (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / South Lake) took seventh place with a jump of 6.10 meters. Senior Sean LaPine (Harbor Beach, Mich.) placed fifth in the pole vault event with a height of 4.30 meters and sophomore Aaron Wilkins (Schoolcraft, Mich.) took sixth at 4.30 meters.

The women’s track team had a solid performance on the day with junior Maggie Stalker (Oscoda, Mich.) taking first place in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 11:09.15. Sophomore Alycia Wright (Macomb, Mich. / Lutheran North) placed fourth in the 800 meter run with a final time of 2:23.86. The 4x100 relay team of freshman Angela Brooks (Ortonville, Mich. / Brandon HS), senior Ashley Morrow (Millington, Mich.), freshman Samantha Roberts (Bullock Creek, Mich.) and sophomore Sjonne Mitchell (Clarkston, Mich. / Troy HS) took fourth place with a time of 49.50. Morrow also placed eighth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.30 as well as Mitchell placing eleventh with 26.61. Mitchell would have another showing in the 400 meter dash as she took tenth place with a time of 59.77. Freshman Chelsea Savage (Monroe, Mich.) placed sixth overall with a final time of 18:06.89, as well as Roberts taking sixth in the 400 meter hurdles with 1:06.85 and senior Amie Wilson (Linden, Mich.) taking eighth with a time of 1:09.14.

The women also had great showings in field events as junior Emily Nugent (Benzonia, Mich. / Benzie Central) placed fourth in the hammer throw with a distance of 46.99 meters. Nugent also took tenth in the discus throw with a distance of 35.32 meters and thirteenth in the shot put at 11.76 meters. Junior Kendra Brown (Clare, Mich.) finished fourth in the javelin throw with a distance of 32.73 meters while senior Megan Haskin (Fairview, Mich.) took sixth with 32.60 meters. Senior Stacey Westphal (Corunna, Mich.) finished fourth place in the pole vault event with a height of 3.25 meters while sophomore Kelly Henris took seventh with a height of 3.10 meters.

The Saginaw Valley State men’s and women’s track teams will be back in action as they travel to Midland, Mich. to on April 18 to compete in the Northwood Open at 11:00 AM.