By Marissa Masano
The Youngstown State University track and field team traveled to the Kent State University Jud Logan Memorial Invitational and The Pennsylvania State University State Nittany Lions Challenge on Jan. 13. The team then hosted the YSU Collegiate Invitational on Jan 19.
At Penn State, graduate student Morgan Cole set a new school record in the mile run as she opened the meet and placed second with a record time of 4:51.75.
Sophomore Malena Cybak took first place in the 800-meter at 2:15.47.
On the men’s side, sophomore Jack Vecellio won the pole vault, clearing a best mark of 5.05 meters. Freshman Lukas Lang finished third with 4.75 meters.
In the 3,000-meter, senior Ryan Meadows finished second at 8:17.32, and fifth-year senior Tyler Clark finished third at 8:21.77.
At the Jud Logan Memorial Invitational at the KSU Field House, YSU won in the long jump, 60-meter hurdles and shot put events.
Senior Tye Hunt won the long jump with a leap of 7.68 meters. For the women, freshman Daisha Decree won the long jump with a leap of 5.55 meters.
In the 60-meter hurdles, junior Luke Laubacher finished first in the finals with a time of 7.88 seconds.
On the women’s side, senior Madison Murry placed first with a final time of 8.62 seconds, while senior Emily Bee placed second at 8.82 seconds.
Sophomore Ryan Henry won the shot put with a personal-best distance of 17.93 meters. Fifth-year senior Dominic Perry placed second with an effort of 17.87 meters.
The team also hosted the YSU Collegiate Invitational presented by Southwoods Health inside the Watson and Tressel Training Site on Jan. 19.
Winning events on the men’s side included pole vault, shot put, high jump, 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles.
The women placed first in the triple jump, 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, 200-meter, long jump and pole vault.
Sophomore Blake Sifferlin took first in the men’s pole vault, clearing a personal-best 5.31 meters. Sifferlin cleared 5.36 meters on his last attempt to set a both meet and facility record. The sophomore ranks nationally in the top 10.
In the shot put, Perry won the event with a throw of 17.84 meters. Junior Mason Stephens cleared 2.03 meters to win the high jump for the Penguins.
Senior Daimere Stephens-Stewart won the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.80 seconds. The senior narrowly defeated fellow Penguin athlete Hunt, who placed second with a time of 6.84 seconds.
Laubacher was victorious in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a 7.89 seconds.
Nia Williams-Matthews leaped 12.36 meters on the women’s side to win the triple jump. Murry took first in the 60-meter hurdles with 8.64 seconds. Later in the day, the senior clocked in 7.69 seconds to win the 60-meter dash.
Junior Mone Knowles achieved her first win as a Penguin in the 200-meter, clocking in a time of 25.21 seconds. Senior Micah Carey won the long jump, reaching 5.88 meters.
Graduate student Erin Bogard, sophomores Ainsley Hamsher and Melana Schumaker and freshman Kaitlyn Eger shared the win in the pole vault. All four Penguins cleared 3.80 meters.
The team will travel to the UMass-Lowell River Hawk Pre-National Meet, Kent State Doug Raymond Invitational and John Thomas Terrier Classic hosted by Boston University on Jan. 26.