Trailblazer Track and Field continues to battle tough conditions and tough competition

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Vincennes University Men's and Women's Track and Field teams were back at it again this weekend as the Trailblazers headed to Louisville for the Clark Wood Invitational hosted by the University of Louisville.

VU took part in the two-day invitational, battling through rain Friday before coming away with a good day on the track Saturday to close out the weekend.

The Vincennes men's team sprinters were led by sophomore Zion Pruitt (Avon, Ind.) who came away with a 25th place finish in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 56.49 seconds.

Freshman ArTezz Butler-Sanders (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed 50th in the 400 meters at 50.92 seconds, while freshmen Karmiel Williams (Jasper, Ind.) and Aaden Mapp (Indianapolis, Ind.) ran the 100 meter sprint with Williams posting a time of 11.12 seconds and Mapp finishing in 11.88 seconds.

Freshman Devin Wilson (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed 64th in the 200 meters with a time of 22.89 seconds as well.

The mid-distance and distance runners for the men's team were led by freshman Anis Abdaoui (Kairouan, Tunisia) who placed fifth in the 1500 meters at 3:52.39.

Sophomore Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.) joined Abdaoui in the 1500, finishing with a time of 4:04.22 to take 32nd overall.

Spence would also pace the Trailblazers in the 800 meters, finishing with a time of 2:00.23 to take 55th overall.

Sophomore Caden Hostetler (LaGrange, Ind.) took 61st in the 800 meters at 2:03.09, with freshman Dakoda Greci (Danville, Ind.) posting a time of 2:05.37 to take 65th overall.

Caden Hostetler placed 27th overall in the 3000 meter steeplechase at 10:46.06.

Sophomore Cody Noel (Hebron, Ind.) paced a team of Trailblazers in the 5000 meters, leading the way with a time of 15:30.09 to take 40th overall.

Sophomore Nathan Whitehead (Vincennes, Ind.) and freshmen Lane Connaway (Carmi, Ill.) and Jeremy Mendez (Velpen, Ind.) followed Noel in the 5000 meters, with Whitehead taking 61st with a time of 15:56.63, Connaway posting a time of 16:21.06 and Mendez finishing with a time of 16:28.57.

The VU Men's track side was rounded out by the 4x400 relay team finishing seventh with a time of 3:16.32 and the men's 4x100 relay team finishing at 44.98 seconds to take 14th overall.

The highlight of the weekend for the Trailblazer men's team was the field events led by freshman Tremayne Brown (Anderson, Ind.) who finished sixth in the high jump after clearing a height of 2.00 meters.

Sophomore Maliek Bush (Jeffersonville, Ind.) came away with seventh place in the discus with a throw of 28.56 meters, ninth in the javelin with a best throw of 48.78 meters and 13th in the long jump with a distance of 6.94 meters.

Freshman Bryce Peak (Brownstown, Ind.) joined Bush in the javelin, getting a best throw of 37.20 meters to take 19th overall, while freshman Cayden Gasser (Delphi, Ind.) rounded out the men's results on the weekend by taking 21st in the javelin with a throw of 34.14 meters and 21st in the shot put with a throw of 11.25 meters.

The VU women's track team was led on the weekend by sophomore Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.) who placed 18th in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a final time of 12:09.01.

Freshman Zoe Allen (Anderson, Ind.) pulled the weekend double by taking 23rd overall in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.82 and 39th overall in the 100 meter hurdles at 15.34 seconds.

Freshman Alexis Hale (Evansville, Ind.) placed 47th overall in the 1500 meters with a time of 5:17.70, followed by sophomore Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) who took 49th overall with a time of 5:24.17 and freshman Allie Black (Lynn, Ind.) who placed 55th with a time of 5:50.95.

Freshman Sara Belgacem (Tunis, Tunisia) placed 49th in the 800 meters with a time of 2:22.86, while Jasmyn Self completed her weekend double with a 65th place finish in the 800 meters at 2:38.64.

Freshman Milaja Vaughn rounded out the Trailblazer results on the weekend, finishing with a time of 27.25 seconds in the 200 meter dash.

"Friday started off the same way most meets have this season, with rain," VU Interim Head Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "Despite the challenging conditions, we were still able to get some good performances in. The 800 meters was particularly challenging with pouring rain during sections of it. Tanner still managed to get a season best in the 800 meters, running 2:00."

"Devin got the sprints going with a new PR of 22.89 in the 200 meters," Steigenga added. "Zoe ran one of the best performances of the day in the 400 hurdles. She is now ranked third in school history. In the men's 5k, Cody ran a really good race and finished just two seconds off his indoor PR, to run his fastest 5k outdoors. Nathan had a huge day, running under 16 minutes for the first time and PRing by 42 seconds in the 5k. It was a pretty special moment for someone who ran their first 5k just a year ago."

"Karmiel had a great day in the 100 meters, running a new PR of 11.12," Steigenga said. "Zoe came back on day two to get another PR and run the fifth fastest time in school history in the 100 hurdles. ArTezz was the lone Trailblazer in the 400 meters and managed to get under 51 seconds for the first time, running 50.92."

"In the Men's 1500 meters, Anis placed fifth overall, falling short of his PR after going out through 1:59 at 800 meters, which is much faster than he had ever gone out before in the 1500 meters," Steigenga added. "It was a good way to get tested despite the blistering pace at the start, he was able to hold on. Tanner ran a great 1500m too, winning his heat by a big margin and getting a new PR of 4:04 after taking the lead during the first lap."

"The women each had good performances in the 1500 as well," Steigenga said. "Alexis and Allie both PRed and Jasmyn won her heat by five seconds after a big kick in the final straightaway. To close off the meet, the men's 4x400 team of Isaiah, Olamipo, Zion and Malik finished just 0.7 seconds off the National qualifying standard. The time was the ninth best in school history."

The Trailblazers will look to continue to round into postseason shape as they get set to head to another big weekend of competition, taking part in the Vanderbilt Outdoor Music City Challenge, Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3 in Nashville, Tenn.

"It was good to come to a very competitive meet and set some new PRs and season bests," Steigenga said. "Next week we'll head to Vanderbilt with a few athletes, to try and get a few more National qualifying standards."

VINCENNES RESULTS

MEN'S RESULTS

100m

Karmiel Williams – 57, 11.12

Aaden Mapp – 65, 11.88

200m

Devin Wilson – 64, 22.89

400m

ArTezz Butler-Sanders – 50, 50.92

400m Hurdles

Zion Pruitt – 25, 56.49

800m

Tanner Spence – 55, 2:00.23

Caden Hostetler – 61, 2:03.09

Dakoda Greci – 65, 2:05.37

1500m

Anis Abdaoui – 5, 3:52.39

Tanner Spence – 32, 4:04.22

3000m Steeplechase

Caden Hostetler – 27, 10:46.06

5000m

Cody Noel – 40, 15:30.09

Nathan Whitehead – 61, 15:56.63

Lane Connaway – 70, 16:21.06

Jeremy Mendez – 71, 16:28.57

Discus

Maliek Bush – 7, 28.56m

High Jump

Tremayne Brown – 6, 2.00m

Javelin

Maliek Bush – 9, 48.78m

Bryce Peak – 19, 37.20m

Cayden Gasser – 21, 34.14m

Long Jump

Maliek Bush – 13. 6.94m

Shot Put

Cayden Gasser – 21, 11.25m

4x100 Relay

VU – 14, 44.98

4x400 Relay

VU – 7, 3:16.32

WOMEN'S RESULTS

100m Hurdles

Zoe Allen – 39. 15.34

200m

Milaja Vaughn – 86, 27.25

400m Hurdles

Zoe Allen – 23, 1:05.82

800m

Sara Belgacem – 49, 2:22.86

Jasmyn Self – 65, 2:38.64

1500m

Alexis Hale – 47, 5:17.70

Jasmyn Self – 49, 5:24.17

Allie Black – 55, 5:50.95

3000m Steeplechase

Adi Fuller – 18, 12:09.01