INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

The Forester indoor track and field program had a busy weekend by sending athletes to  two different meets.

On Friday, six athletes competed at Grand Valley State’s Bill Clinger Classic with plenty of success. On the men’s side, Zach Collins sprinted his way to a new school record in the 200 meters by clocking in at 21.86 which also proves a B standard and a third-place finish out of 78 athletes. Dylan Felger took 6th in the 400 meters in 49.32.

On the women’s side, Destinee McGrady in her Forester debut, broke two HU records in sprints with her biggest race the 400 meters. Not only did her time of 57.46 prove the program’s fastest time and 3rd place at the meet, it is the seventh fastest time in the NAIA this season and an automatic bid to nationals.

McGrady’s second school record was in the 200 meters. She clocked in at 25.84 for 7th place at the meet and the top spot in the HU record books just ahead of fellow Indiana Tech transfer Destiny Copeland.

Erica Xayarath, last year’s NAIA national champion, was up to her usual antics by winning high jump by going 1.70 meters. She currently enjoys the top spot in the NAIA having cleared 1.71 meters in her first meet of the season.

Rounding outing HU’s top finishes on Friday was Copeland who turned in a 3rd place finish in long jump with a leap of 5.62 meters.

“Friday was a great opener and HU debut for Destinee McGrady,” said Coach Austin Roark. “She had a very hard week of workouts and ran some great times on tired legs. Erica had a great day in the high jump by winning the event and taking attempts at her outdoor PR. Destiny Copeland is working on some technical stuff, excited to see her improvements over the coming weeks.

“This was the breakout meet for Zach. He had nursed and worked through a small injury earlier in the year and is really starting to feel well. Also, a big PR for Grady Martin in the 400. Dylan got caught up in the middle of a pack in his 400 and got spiked hard. I’m excited to see him open the season in his primary event of the 600 next week.”

On Saturday, a handful of Foresters spent the day at the Trojan Invitational at Taylor’s Kelser Fieldhouse.

Abbey Gentz nabbed an A standard in the 5,000 meters by clocking in at 18:09.96 (converts to 18:01.68). She finished 4th at the meet and 4th in the Huntington record books. Madeline Gile left her mark in the 400 meters with her first-place time of 1:02.90 which proves the ninth fastest time in HU history.

Two other Foresters also brought home first place finishes. Aanyah Wright’s toss of 14.03 meters in weight throw proved the best of the day. Emily Tedder won the 800 meters with her time of 2:24.07. She also had a solid outing in the mile where she finished 3rd in 5:19.44.

Huntington’s 4×400 meter relay team, made up of MacKenzie Brewer, Brielle Fehlmann, Gile and Trysta Hilton, took 2nd place in 4:22.01.

Other top five finishes for Roark’s crew included Sydni Ausberry in the 60 meters (3rd, 8.09), Fehlmann in the 400 meters (5th, 1:06.14) and Brewer in the 600 meters (5th, 1:46.93).

On the men’s side, Matthew Hyter ran a PR in the 1,000 meters to finish 3rd in 2:35.26. Kent Yoder finished 5th in the mile having crossed the line in 4:30.53. Chandler Minnich matched his PR in pole vault with his mark of 4.45 meters good for 4th at the meet.

“This was a great showing for a lot of our athletes,” noted Roark. “We had a lot of different athletes with PRs come from this meet. The long sprints and distance group did a great job of competing.

“Emily Tedder had a great meet and is coming into her best meets of the year. Also, this was a great meet for Madi Gile and Matt Hyter. The highlight of the day was the first event of the day – Abbey Gentz ran a very strong 5k and punched her ticket for nationals with an NAIA A standard.”

HU will have athletes represented at two meets, the Camel City Invitational (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and the IWU Midwest Classic, this coming weekend.