VU Track and Field finishes regular season with strong showing in windy conditions

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Trailblazer Men's and Women's Track and Field teams are no strangers to windy conditions, having battled them all season long and put that experience to use Saturday afternoon at the Sycamore Open track meet at Indiana State University.

The VU Women's team was led by another excellent throwing day from freshman Giorgia Fino (Italy) who took the top spot in the Javelin with a longest throw of 37.44 meters.

Sophomore Chloe Knepp (Montgomery, Ind.) also held her own against some tough competition to finish seventh in the 400 meters, with a time of 1:03.45.

Freshman Abyela Cruz (French Lick, Ind.) capped off the women's team scorers with an eighth place finish in the discus throw, ending with a throw of 26.69 meters.

The VU Men's team also picked up a race winner, with freshman Mathew Keitany (Kenya) taking the top spot in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:00.03.

The Trailblazer 4x100 meter relay team of freshmen Jalen Bowman (Evansville, Ind.), Collin Sutton (New Albany, Ind.) and Yamar Lyons (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and sophomore Kyle Stewart (Evansville, Ind.) came together to take second place with a time of 42.57 seconds.

Jalen Bowman also came away with a third-place finish in the 200 meters, ending at 21.47 seconds.

Kyle Stewart also placed third in the Long Jump ending with a jump distance of 6.99 meters.

Sophomore Damien Ross (East St. Louis, Ill.) placed eighth in the 400 meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 1:00.57.

Sophomore Manamanya Opiew (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:57.27.

Freshman Nicholas Stanislaus (Grenada) and sophomore Jaylen Rush (Palos Heights, Ill.) both placed in the Javelin throw, with Stanislaus placing fourth at 42.75 meters and Rush taking seventh at 33.59 meters.

The VU scorers were rounded out by Stanislaus and sophomore Matthew Frazier (Franklin, Ind.) ending with a fifth place tie in the Pole Vault, with the two jumpers reaching 4.00 meters.

The VU women's team placed 11th as a team at the meet and the men's team took sixth place, finishing ahead of four NCAA Division I programs in Saint Louis, Evansville, Bradley and IUPUI.

"We had another windy affair, but as we have all season, the kids just competed," VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. "That's what they do."

"Mathew ran a brilliant 1500 for the win and ran just a great race in those conditions," Rogier added. "Giorgia, who was nursing a slight injury, also beat a good field of throwers and won throwing into a big wind. She has a big throw coming."

"Our sprint crew got it rolling in the 200. Jalen ran a very fast 21.47, finishing third and I think he can bring that down. Collin and Yamar both ran good races at 22.32 and 22.84, which was a big PR for Yamar," Rogier said. "Those three and Kyle teamed up to take second in the 4x100, which I believe we would have won easily, except for one bad exchange."

Once again, our 800 group got after it. Manny ran his PR in 1:57.27 good for fifth, which was amazing considering he went to graduation in the morning and then drove himself to the meet just in time to compete," Rogier added. "That effort earned him the Trailblazer Willie Award. Trenton and Ernest also ran very good races considering the conditions, running 1:59 and 2:02."

"Kyle struggled to get on the board with the big wind but managed to get third with a respectable 6.99 meter in the long jump. Brittany Page (Bicknell, Ind.) continued her string of good races. She ran a big PR last week and came back this week with another great effort in the 800, running 2:29.16."

"Kyra Young also came from graduation and basically got out of the car and got on the track for her 1600 race and still managed to run a solid race at 5:07. Mason Harmes had a big PR in the Hammer, throwing 41.86 meters and then also had a very good throw in the discus with a toss of 43.14 meters. He is just one good throw from qualifying for Nationals in the discus."

"Nicholas had another good day, tuning up for his next decathlon at Nationals. He ran a big PR in the 110 hurdles, matched his best in the Pole Vault and had a good throw in the javelin. Former VU Head Coach Chris Gafner has been a big help with helping Nicholas with the hurdles. Big thank you to Coach Gafner."

"I was really looking forward to the 4x400 relay but lightening delayed the meet and we did not get to run it."

The Sycamore Open caps off the 2022 Outdoor regular season for the teams, but there will be a few individuals continuing to go to different meets in the area as VU tries to get more and more National Qualifiers.

The rest of the VU teams will begin preparations for the NJCAA Division I National Outdoor Championships that will run from Thursday, May 19 through Saturday, May 21 at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Ks.

"This was schedule to be our last regular meet but we are going to Indiana University this coming Friday to try to hit a couple more qualifying marks for Nationals," Rogier said.

VINCENNES RESULTS

TEAM RESULTS

Women's Team – 11th, 13 points

Men's Team – 6th, 48 points

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

WOMEN'S RESULTS

400m

Chloe Knepp – 7, 1:03.45

Discus

Abyela Cruz – 8, 26.69m

Javelin

Giorgia Fino – 1, 37.44m

MEN'S RESULTS

200m

Jalen Bowman – 3, 21.47

800m

Manamanya Opiew – 4, 1:57.27

1500m

Mathew Keitany – 1, 4:00.03

400m Hurdles

Damien Ross – 8, 1:00.57

4x100 Relay

(Bowman, Sutton, Ross, Stewart) – 2, 42.57

Pole Vault

Matthew Frazier – 5, 4.00m

Nicholas Stanislaus – 5, 4.00m

Long Jump

Kyle Stewart – 3, 6.99m

Javelin

Nicholas Stanislaus – 4, 42.75m

Jaylen Rush – 7, 33.59m