Track and Field: Olivet opens outdoor season at Charles A. Gray Invitational

ALMA, Mich. – The Olivet College men's and women's track & field teams opened the outdoor portion of their schedules today by competing at the Charles A. Gray Invitational, hosted by Alma College and inside Bahlke Stadium in Alma. The Comet men placed seventh with 28 points, while the women were also seventh with 40 points.

For the men, senior Andrew Benkovsky won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a school-record time of 9:29.34 for Olivet's best finish on the track. Senior Greg Lutzke was the third runner to cross the finish line in the 5,000-meter run with a school-record time of 15:24.84. Sophomore Connor Bauserman placed fourth in the 800-meter run with a time 1:58.01. Freshman Tyler Lassic was seventh in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.91 seconds.

In the field events, sophomore Bryce Prudden finished third in the high jump with a 1.75 meter clearance. He also tied for fourth-place in the long jump at 5.75 meters. Junior Drew Miller had an 11.78 meter throw in the shot put to place sixth.

For the women, senior Cassie Ciaravino had Olivet's best performance on the track, finishing in fourth-place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.8 seconds. She also tied for the top mark in the high jump at 1.56 meters, but a judge's decision gave her second-place points.

Junior Lauren Easton cleared the pole vault bar at 2.45 meters to score first-place points. Freshman Emily Nelson was fifth in the shot put with a 9.50 meter toss.

The Comets will travel to Adrian College next Saturday, April 11, for the 2015 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Jamboree.

NOTES: Benkovsky and Lutzke previously held the school record in their respective event. Benkovsky previously ran 9:45.34, while Lutzke had run 15:44.21. Furthermore, Benkovsky's time in the steeplechase currently ranks him eighth on the 2015 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track & Field Performance List.