Gary Blackman, Olly Laws Highlight Butler Track Weekend

May 3, 2004

Senior Gary Blackman ran the third-fastest steeplechase time in Butler track history and junior Olly Laws recorded a personal record in the 5,000 meter run to highlight a weekend that saw Butler athletes competing in California and Indiana. Head coach Joe Franklin had five runners entered in the Cardinal Invitational, hosted by Stanford University, while the rest of the Bulldogs hosted the Butler Twilight Meet at the Michael A. Carroll Track and Field Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 1.

Blackman posted a time of 8:48.03 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in the California meet. He missed his own Butler best of 8:46.05 by two seconds and came up six seconds shy of the Butler record of 8:42.5, set by Mark Tucker in 2002.

Laws placed fifth in his section of the 5,000 meter run at Stanford in a lifetime best of 14:03.22. That's the third-fastest time in the 5,000 by a Butler runner this spring. He was the first of three Butler runners in the race, finishing ahead of junior Tom Frazer, who came in 12th (14:11.71), and junior Nick Goodliffe, who was 14th (14:12.71).

Senior Brad Bennett tuned in a personal record in the 10,000 meter run at Stanford with a time of 29:46.39.

Freshman Kara Henry had Butler's top individual finish at the Butler Twilight Meet. She placed fourth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 11:19.27. Senior Mary Reeves came in fifth in the 1,500 meter run in 4:39.99, while sophomore Brooke Carr was fifth in the 800 meter run in 2:14.96. Senior Rholonda Ash finished seventh in the 800 in 2:15.57.

Among Butler's men, junior Rob Hartman turned in the top finish by placing sixth in the javelin with a throw of 163-08. Sophomore Brandon Cook placed seventh in the 100 meter dash in 11.00, while senior Brian Dunn finished eighth in the 5,000 meter run in 14:53.86.

Butler will host the 2004 Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championship at the Michael A. Carroll Track and Field Stadium on Thursday and Friday, May 6-7.