Trailblazer Track and Field back in action with busy outdoor season opener weekend

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Vincennes University Men's and Women's Track and Field teams headed outside for the first time this season and split the squad between two different meets.

Members of the VU Track team headed to St. Louis, Mo. to take part in the WashU Distance Carnival hosted by Washington University of St. Louis Friday, while the rest of the VU Track teams headed to Charleston, Ill. for the two-day EIU Big Blue Invitational hosted by Eastern Illinois University Friday and Saturday.

The WashU Distance Carnival crew was headed by sophomore Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) who placed eighth in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:53.43.

Freshman Brahym Sakka (Tunisia) placed 32nd in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a final time of 10:07.82.

Freshman Caden Hostetler (LaGrange, Ind.) rounded out the VU finishers Friday, taking part in the 10,000 meters and finished with a time of 35:19.23 to place 135th in a very competitive field.

The rest of the Trailblazers headed to Charleston, Ill. for the EIU Big Blue Invitational.

The VU teams were led by a great showing in the 400 meters, with the Trailblazers posting four of the top five finishes in the event, led by 600 meter Indoor National Champion Desroy Jordan, who took the top spot with a time of 47.24.

Freshmen Olamipo Ladipo, Malik Ferdinand and Tumaini Skinner rounded out the top five finishers with Ladipo placing second at 47.70 seconds, Ferdinand took fourth at 49.30 and Skinner placed fifth at 50.01 seconds.

Sophomore Matthew Gray (Washington, Ind.) and freshman Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.) rounded out the VU finishers in the 400 meters, with Gray taking 14th at 52.18 seconds and Spence placing 17th at 53.77 seconds.

Spence and Gray then turned around and led a group of Trailblazers in the 1500 meter dash, with Spence posting a time of 4:09.73 to take 15th, while Gray placed 27th at 4:26.99.

Freshmen Nathan Whitehead (Vincennes, Ind.), Alex Kwizera (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Max Pendley (French Lick, Ind.) closed out the VU finishers in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:28.06 for Whitehead, 4:42.10 for Kwizera and 4:50.46 for Pendley.

Sophomore and Indoor Heptathlon National Champion Olegs Kozjakovs was one of a few Blazers to compete in multiple events, placing 15th in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 27.16 seconds and taking fifth in the discus with a throw of 45.39 meters.

Freshman Jeremiah Ziebart also competed in multiple events, following Olegs by placing 10th in the discus with a throw of 35.80 meters and taking fourth in the javelin with a best throw of 47.54 meters.

Freshman Clinton Laguerre had VU's next best individual finish on the men's side, taking second in the 400 meter hurdles with a final time of 54.63 seconds, along with freshman Zion Pruitt who took ninth at 1:02.32.

The VU men's team was rounded out in Charleston by freshman Jacob Wickman who placed eighth in the hammer throw with a distance of 33.65 meters.

"We opened the outdoor season with a very busy weekend," VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. "I thought we had a successful start to the season and I am even more excited than I was about our potential."

"At EIU, we had some very good performances in some very windy conditions," Rogier added. "It's a little different when you get outdoors and have to deal with the elements. I was hoping for us to just compete hard and not be concerned about times or distances."

"The men were led by the 400 group," Rogier said. "We went one, two, four, five in that event, led by indoor National Champion Desroy Jordan who had a winning time of 47.24. Olamipo ran stride for stride with Desroy running a very fast 47.70 for second. That qualified for Nationals and places him fifth in program history."

"Malik and Tumaini added 49.3 and a 50.01 in the 400," Rogier added. "Clinton had a very nice race finishing second in the 400 hurdles with a quick 54.63. This group performed very well, especially considering the stiff head wind that hit them on the homestretch."

"Jeremiah had a very good performance in his first meet throwing the javelin," Rogier said. "He finished fourth throwing 47.54 with a terrible cross wind. That also places him sixth in program history. He is new to that event and I believe he is going to do very well as the season progresses."

"Olegs followed that up with a fifth place finish in the discus with a solid 45.39 throw," Rogier added. "He had a good series of throws and there could be some big throws coming."

The Trailblazer women's team had an equally productive first weekend at Eastern Illinois, led by Indoor Pole Vault National Champions Sophia and Julia Amaral.

Sophia took the top spot in the pole vault event at EIU after clearing a height of 3.95 meters, while her sister Julia placed eighth after clearing 3.35 meters.

Freshman Emilly Barbosa (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had the daily double at EIU, placing sixth in the 400 meters with a time of 1:02.56 and taking 12th place in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:55.70.

Freshmen Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) and Grayson Haynes (Sebree, Ky.) finished just behind Barbosa in the 1500 meters with Self taking 21st overall with a time of 5:22.99 and Haynes taking 26th at 5:48.33.

Freshman Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.) had a great start to her outdoor season after placing fourth in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a final time of 12:22.63.

Sophomores Madison Davis and Natalie Wagler also had great starts to their season with Davis taking fifth in the shot put with a best throw of 12.04 meters and Wagler placing eighth in the javelin with a throw of 25.39 meters.

Sophomore Gwen Weaver closed out the weekend results for the Trailblazers by posting a time of 15.14 seconds in the 100 meter sprint to take 22nd overall.

"I thought we competed very well and had some very good performances," Rogier said. "On the women's side, Sophia battled a strong cross wind to win the pole vault. I always enjoy when we get to jump against the Indiana State vaulters because they are always good and very deep in this event. Her 3.95 meter jump is the second highest jump in VU program history and has her ranked number one in the NJCAA outdoor rankings."

"Julia finished eighth in the pole vault and moved up to eighth in program history," Rogier added. "Madison finished fifth in the shot put with a 12.04 throw. Emilly and Adi both had very good performances, the really competed well."

"Overall I thought it was a very good start to the season and gave us a glimpse of what our potential is if we keep our heads straight and put in the work," Rogier said.

"Friday at Washu, Isaac had a great outdoor opener," VU Assistant Coach and Distance Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "It was a good step forward from indoor track. He finally looks like himself again and is in a good spot this early in the season."

"At EIU, I wasn't sure what to expect with the windy conditions, but all ten of the 1500 runners either met or exceeded what we were looking to do," Steigenga added. "Emilly had a really good performance, winning her heat with a very strong finish. She also came back 45 minutes later to run a solid 62-second 400."

"Tanner and Matthew did the same thing just after her," Steigenga said. "Tanner had a great opener just getting under 4:10 in the 1500 and Matthew finished right at his personal best. Shortly after Matthew ran a 52-second 400, which bodies well for a fast 800 later this season. Tanner finished behind him with a 53-second 400 for his double."

"Adi got her first experience in the steeplechase as she finished just off the national qualifying standard," Steigenga added. "It was a good introduction to the event and just having that one race under her belt and knowing what to expect will help a lot as we look to focus on it during the outdoor season."

The Trailblazers will look to keep the momentum from this hot start going in their next meet Friday, April 5 when the VU teams head to Louisville, Ky. for the Bellarmine Jim Vargo Invitational.

VINCENNES RESULTS

WashU Distance Carnival Results

1500m

Isaac Stanford – 8, 3:53.43

10,000m

Caden Hostetler – 135, 35:19.23

3000m Steeplechase

Brahym Sakka – 32, 10:07.82

EIU Big Blue Invitational Results

Men's Results

400m

Desroy Jordan – 1, 47.24

Olamipo Ladipo – 2, 47.70

Malik Ferdinand – 4, 49.30

Tumaini Skinner – 5, 50.01

Matthew Gray – 14, 52.18

Tanner Spence – 17, 53.77

1500m

Tanner Spence – 15, 4:09.73

Matthew Gray – 27, 4:26.99

Nathan Whitehead – 29, 4:28.06

Alex Kwizera – 34, 4:42.10

Max Pendley – 35, 4:50.46

110m Hurdles

Olegs Kozjakovs – 15, 27.16

400m Hurdles

Clinton Laguerre – 2, 54.63

Zion Pruitt – 9, 1:02.32

Discus

Olegs Kozjakovs – 5, 45.39m

Jeremian Ziebart – 10, 35.80m

Hammer

Jacob Wickman – 8, 33.65m

Javelin

Jeremiah Ziebart – 4, 47.54m

WOMEN'S RESULTS

100m

Gwen Weaver – 22, 15.14

400m

Emilly Barbosa – 6, 1:02.56

1500m

Emilly Barbosa – 12, 4:55.70

Jasmyn Self – 21, 5:22.99

Grayson Haynes – 26, 5:48.33

3000m Steeplechase

Adi Fuller – 4, 12:22.63

Pole Vault

Sophia Amaral – 1 3.95m

Julia Amaral – 8, 3.35m

Shot Put

Madison Davis – 5, 12.04m

Javelin

Natalie Wagler – 8, 25.39m