Track team experiences success across the nation

April 17, 2006

Complete Results

The men's and women's track teams traveled over 4000 miles this weekend to compete at three different meets across the country.

The success started with sophomore Genevieve Gardner's 7th place finish in the Mt. SAC Relay's Invitational 5000m race in Walnut, California. Her time of 16:46 was a personal best, and secured her a spot on the starting line at the NCAA MidEast Regional meet.

Not to be outdone, senior Katie Stuckey followed suit with a 3rd place finish, and a regional qualification in the 3000m steeplechase. Her time of 10:48 was run down the road at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.

Also competing at Pomona were 1500m runners Kate Buchan, who finished 8th with a 4:38, and Kent Wories who finished 27th in 3:57. The sophomore amateur edged out professional Luke Meyer of the Nike Farm Team by a little less than a second.

Butler athletes travel to these Californian meets for the dependable weather and competition. The rash of storms in Indianapolis broke just long enough for those who stayed home to get a little of both of these at the Indy Relays, Butler's first in a series of home meets.

The highlight of the local event was the men's 5000m run. It what was one of the Midwest's fastest collegiate attempts at the distance in recent years. Notre Dame's Tim Moore was victorious in 14:12. Junior Alex Hains of Butler finished 2nd in the race with a 14:49.

Representing for the field events was freshman Lade Akande. The forward for the women's basketball team slam-dunked the competition by placing 2nd in the discus (40.00m), and 5th in the shot put (12.64m).

The women's team experienced further success with a hat-trick of 3rd place finishes. Jen Macke in the 400m hurdles (1:06.01), Ashley Salt in the 5000m (19:07), and Amanda Zolman in the 800m (2:33).

Consistent sophomore Kristi Hertzler followed Macke to finish 4th in the 400m Hurdles, with a 1:06.78.

The Bulldogs will take a week off, then split the team on the 28th at the elite Cardinal Invite at Stanford, and the local Butler Twilight downtown.

In alumni news, former all-American Olly Laws and Thomas Frazer of the class of 2005 competed at the Mini-Marathon 15k Training Run. Frazer finished 1st in 49:52, and Laws claimed 3rd in 51:01.