Track and field runs through opponents

Photo by Raeghan Hilton / The Jambar

By Cameron Mitchell / The Jambar

The Youngstown State University track and field teams hosted the YSU Collegiate Invitational at the Watson and Tressel Training Site on Jan. 17. In addition, the Penguins traveled Jan. 24-25 to Clemson, South Carolina, for the Clemson University Orange and Purple Invitational.  

Kicking off the collegiate invitational for the men’s side, junior Trenton Shutters placed first in the 800-meter. For the long jump, junior Mateo Smith won the event, while senior Luke Laubacher won the event for the 60-meter hurdles.

In the high jump, senior Mason Stephens led the way for the Penguins. YSU claimed the top four spots, led by Stephens at 2.02 meters. Second place went to senior Nathan Leskovac, third to senior Zachary Webb and fourth to sophomore Connor Durig.

Rounding out the men’s jumping events, junior Emmanuel Asabere won the triple jump. 

The women’s team found success with junior Melana Schumaker in the pole vault, while sophomore Nedgine Morancy won the triple jump. Fifth-year senior Nia Williams-Matthews claimed a victory in the long jump.

Freshman Caleigh Richards placed first in the 3000 meter, with a time of 9:59.76. During the field events, freshman Olivia Mason earned the title win in shot put with a 13.89 meter throw. 

The women’s team also added a win in the 400-meter relay with a time of 4:04:51, coming on top of Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro by 0.03 seconds. The team consisted of senior Aiamyia Dudley, sophomores Havilland Jones and Melody Harloff and freshman Mariah Day. 

In the women’s 60 meter, sophomore Elle Pearsall won her first career race in first place, achieving the meet’s record time of 7.6 seconds. Fifth-year senior Madison Murry placed second in the event with a time of 7.63, followed by Harloff in third at 7.22.

After the invitational, the Penguins competed in 24 events at the Clemson Invitational. 

At Clemson, Williams-Matthews broke the YSU record in the triple jump, placing fourth. She entered the event with the school mark of 12.41 meters, and on her final attempt of the day, broke her mark with a 12.49-meter jump.

In the finals for the men’s 60-meter hurdles, Laubacher ran a time of 7.78 seconds and placed second. Junior Jamal Britt claimed a final time of 7.83 seconds in the preliminaries.

Youngstown State saw Day and freshman Ava Littler advance into the semifinals of the 60-meter hurdles. Both athletes ran their personal bests, with Day running 8.46 seconds in the prelims and Littler running 8.64 seconds in the semifinals.

Freshman Michael Ballone also ran a personal best of 48.96 seconds in the 400 meter. Along with Ballone, Schumaker broke her previous personal best of 3.72 meters in pole vault with a new record of 4.13 meters.

For both performances, Williams-Matthews and Day were named the Under Armour Horizon League Track and Field Athletes of the Week. 

The Youngstown State track and field teams are back in action Jan. 31-Feb. 1, hosting the YSU Mid Major Invitational presented by Southwoods Health inside the WATTS.

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