Track and field student-athletes compete at last chance meets
Over the last two weeks, a select group of Olivet College track and field student-athletes have competed at three last chance meets. The first was on Tuesday, May 7, at the Grand Valley State University Now Tuesday Meet, followed by Thursday and Friday, May 9-10, at the North Central Dr. Keeler Invitational, and the final one yesterday and today at the North Central Gregory Invitational.
OLIVET, Mich. – Over the last two weeks, a select group of Olivet College track and field student-athletes have competed at three last chance meets. The first was on Tuesday, May 7, at the Grand Valley State University Now Tuesday Meet, followed by Thursday and Friday, May 9-10, at the North Central Dr. Keeler Invitational, and the final one yesterday and today at the North Central Gregory Invitational.
Highlighting the meets was the men's 4x400-meter relay team of junior Noah Bailey, sophomore Tyler Peck, senior Chris Womack and freshman Kyle McDowell breaking the school record by more than two seconds at the Gregory Invitational. Their time, 3:15.06, also moved them into the top 12 on the 2019 NCAA Division III Performance List. The previous record was 3:17.08 by Tim Hendrick, Kelvin Lewis, Darrell Jenkins and Fred Williams during the 1978 season.
Also at the Gregory Invitational, freshman Lillian Albaugh took first-place and broke the school record in the shot put with a 44 feet, 4-3/4 inch heave. The mark also moved her two spots up to No. 15 on the NCAA Division III Performance List. Junior Jacob Smith posted a personal-best mark of 149 feet, 6 inches in the discus throw.
At the Dr. Keeler Invitational, senior Michaela Kaliniak achieved a school-record mark, clearing the bar at 11 feet, 3/4 inch.
At GVSU, senior Jessica Taylor posted a personal-best in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:14.60.
Olivet now waits to see who has punched tickets to the 2019 NCAA Division III Championships next Thursday-Saturday, May 23-25, at the SPIRE Center in Geneva, Ohio. The selections will be announced on ncaa.com Saturday morning by 9 a.m.