Track Wins Big Blue Classic On Windy Day
Monday, April 4 2016 - Big Blue ClassicPanthers post six first place finishes on Saturday
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois track and field wrapped up the Big Blue Classic on a very windy Saturday at O'Brien Field with the Panthers adding six first place finishes to their weekend total.
The Panthers won both the men's and women's team titles. The EIU men scored 128 points to finish ahead of second place Central Michigan with 114 points in a field of nine NCAA Division I schools. The Panther women scored 153.5 points to finish ahead of second place Illinois State with 147.5 points with ten NCAA Division I schools in the meet.
Anita Saffa led the way with a two first place finishes walking home with gold in the 100m and 200m sprints. Saffa won the women's 100m with a time of 11.67 which ranks second on the EIU career list. She added a 200m victory with a time of 24.65.
Brion Portis and Bryn Buckwalter added first place finishes for the EIU women in field events with both performances ranking in the EIU career top ten. Portis won the women's triple jump with a mark of 39'5.25" which ranks seventh on the EIU career list. Buckwalter won the discus with a throw of 160'7". Her mark ranks second on the EIU career list. Teammates Janie Howse and Lexie Yeley also posted EIU career top ten marks in the discus. Howse was fifth with her throw of 149'11" ranking fourth on the EIU career list. Yeley was sixth with her throw of 145' ranking sixth on the EIU career list.
Calvin Edwards had the lone men's first place finish on Saturday. Edwards won the 200m dash with a time of 21.35. The Panthers picked up a first place finish in the men's 4x100m relay with a time of 41.86. The relay team included JaMarcus Townsend, Edwards, Jamal Robinson and Christian Ilunga-Matthiesen.
In the men's 100m dash the Panthers took home spots second through fifth. Johnathan Boey was second with a time of 10.61. Robinson was third with a time of 10.69. Ilunga-Matthiesen was fourth with a time of 10.70. Edwards was fifth with a time of 10.72.
Eric Gordon had a pair of top five finishes for the EIU men. He was second in the pole vault with a height of 15'9.25". He was fourth in the javelin with a throw of 168'5".
Ruth Garippo, Haleigh Knapp and Dhiaa Dean added top three finishes for the EIU women on the day. Garippo was second in the steeplechase with a time of 11:17. Knapp was second in the high jump clearing 5'7.25" finishing second based on attempts. Dean was third in the 800m with a time of 2:19.97.
Chrisford Stevens and Davion Foster had top five finishes for the EIU men in field events while Mark Pedziwiatr had a top five showing on the track. Stevens was third in the triple jump with a mark of 44'11". Foster was fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 42'8". Pedziwiatr was fourth in the 800m run with a time of 1:58.79.
EIU closed the meet with a second place finish in the women's 4x400m relay with a time of 3:59.83. the relay time consisted of Amina Jackson, Cassidy Strohl, Darneisha Spann and Dean.
EIU returns to action next weekend at the Indiana State Gibson Invitational.
The Panthers won both the men's and women's team titles. The EIU men scored 128 points to finish ahead of second place Central Michigan with 114 points in a field of nine NCAA Division I schools. The Panther women scored 153.5 points to finish ahead of second place Illinois State with 147.5 points with ten NCAA Division I schools in the meet.
Anita Saffa led the way with a two first place finishes walking home with gold in the 100m and 200m sprints. Saffa won the women's 100m with a time of 11.67 which ranks second on the EIU career list. She added a 200m victory with a time of 24.65.
Brion Portis and Bryn Buckwalter added first place finishes for the EIU women in field events with both performances ranking in the EIU career top ten. Portis won the women's triple jump with a mark of 39'5.25" which ranks seventh on the EIU career list. Buckwalter won the discus with a throw of 160'7". Her mark ranks second on the EIU career list. Teammates Janie Howse and Lexie Yeley also posted EIU career top ten marks in the discus. Howse was fifth with her throw of 149'11" ranking fourth on the EIU career list. Yeley was sixth with her throw of 145' ranking sixth on the EIU career list.
Calvin Edwards had the lone men's first place finish on Saturday. Edwards won the 200m dash with a time of 21.35. The Panthers picked up a first place finish in the men's 4x100m relay with a time of 41.86. The relay team included JaMarcus Townsend, Edwards, Jamal Robinson and Christian Ilunga-Matthiesen.
In the men's 100m dash the Panthers took home spots second through fifth. Johnathan Boey was second with a time of 10.61. Robinson was third with a time of 10.69. Ilunga-Matthiesen was fourth with a time of 10.70. Edwards was fifth with a time of 10.72.
Eric Gordon had a pair of top five finishes for the EIU men. He was second in the pole vault with a height of 15'9.25". He was fourth in the javelin with a throw of 168'5".
Ruth Garippo, Haleigh Knapp and Dhiaa Dean added top three finishes for the EIU women on the day. Garippo was second in the steeplechase with a time of 11:17. Knapp was second in the high jump clearing 5'7.25" finishing second based on attempts. Dean was third in the 800m with a time of 2:19.97.
Chrisford Stevens and Davion Foster had top five finishes for the EIU men in field events while Mark Pedziwiatr had a top five showing on the track. Stevens was third in the triple jump with a mark of 44'11". Foster was fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 42'8". Pedziwiatr was fourth in the 800m run with a time of 1:58.79.
EIU closed the meet with a second place finish in the women's 4x400m relay with a time of 3:59.83. the relay time consisted of Amina Jackson, Cassidy Strohl, Darneisha Spann and Dean.
EIU returns to action next weekend at the Indiana State Gibson Invitational.