Seven T&F Athletes Reach Top-Ten Status in School History at Jaguar Opener
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 Redshirt freshman Daliadiz Ortiz won the event title in the javelin on Friday at the Jaguar Opener |
March 7, 2014
MOBILE, Ala. - Tulane's track and field program started their outdoor campaign on Friday at the Jaguar Opener in Mobile, Ala., hosted by South Alabama, and eight Green Wave athletes posted results that will solidify their names in the Tulane track and field record books.
Redshirt freshman Daliadiz Ortiz won the javelin competition at the meet, held on USA's campus, with a throw of 49.02 meters (160-10). In addition to Ortiz, true freshmen Taylor Potts, Caleb Bertrand, Anthony Taylor and Emma Staisloff joined the Tulane record books alongside sophomore Cheyenne Swanson with their outings on Friday.
Sophomore Jack White, junior Michelle Kreutzberg and sophomore Lilla McMillan won event titles in the 1,500 meter run, the 600 meters and the 300 meters, respectively, joining Ortiz and Pitts. But Ortiz' performance stands out on the evening, seeing that she competed just once during the 2013 outdoor season before missing the remainder of the season with an injury.
"Dali's performance is definitely a highlight," mentioned Tulane track and field director Eric Peterson. "She's such a big part of our team. Because she is a one-event athlete, and obviously doesn't have the opportunity to participate indoors, it's so critical for us to have her healthy and performing well. She came into this meet feeling pretty nervous and tense having been away from competition for so long, but it didn't keep her from performing well and winning. It's a nice step forward for her."
Ortiz' mark on Friday ranks her fifth in school history in the event.
Pitts and Staisloff competed in the pole vault during the outdoor season, and both had good marks. Pitts leapt 3.76 meters (12-4), good for the fourth-best jump in school history, while Staisloff tied for eighth with a jump of 3.56 meters (11-8) for the fifth-best pole vault during the outdoor season in Tulane history.
On the track, two scorers from the Conference USA Indoor Championships in McMillan and Kreutzberg carried their momentum into the outdoor season. Kreutzberg won the event title in the 600 meter run with a time of 1:35.72. McMillan followed suit in the shorter 300 meter race, posting a time of 38.39. Senior Hilary Woods was just behind McMillan, finishing second in the 300 meter race with a time of 39.83.
"Mary Carson, Lilla and Michelle had good performances," said Peterson. "Even though Lilla's and Michelle's performances came in odd distances in events that are not normal to track, they performed well and came away with victories, along with Mary Carson in the pole vault."
Two Green Wave men field athletes made their collegiate debuts on Friday night, as Bertrand placed fifth in the pole vault with a leap of 4.65 meters (15-3). The freshman from Elton, La., immediately entered the Green Wave record book, as his leap ties the third-best jump in school history.
"We feel good about Caleb's performance," added Peterson. "It's not a huge mark, but it's a good opening mark for a freshman. We are excited for him, along with our men, to be able to kick off the season."
Taylor also made his presence known, as he threw in the shot put after initially not thinking he would go on Friday. The John Curtis Christian graduate tossed the shot put 11.10 meters (36-5), moving into eighth place in the Tulane record books.
White won the event title in the 1,500 meter run, posting a time of 4:05.81. His performance was one of the best on the track for the Green Wave on Friday.
"Jack appears to be in mid-season form," stated Peterson. "He is running as well as he is now as he did at the end of his freshman season. He had a big mark and ran well within himself, and he's off to a good start."
Swanson added her name into the record books with performances in both the discus and the hammer throw. The Hailey, Idaho, native notched a 39.95 meter (131-1) toss in the discus, which was good for fourth place on the day. Historically, that puts her at fifth in Tulane history. In the hammer throw, Swanson notched a 33.62 meter (110-3) throw in the hammer event, putting her in fourth-place in school history.
Next weekend, the Green Wave will compete at the Southern Miss Invitational in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Saturday, March 15. Redshirt junior pole vaulter Merritt Van Meter will compete in the NCAA Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque, N.M.
Fans can follow the Tulane track and field programs on Twitter (@GreenWaveXCTF) or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TulaneXCTF.
Tulane Results for the Jaguar Opener
Tulane Women
Women's 300m Dash
1. Lilla McMillan, 38.39
2. Hilary Woods, 39.83
12. Tiffany Kenney, 43.53
Women's 600m Run
1. Michelle Kreutzberg, 1:35.72
5. Amanda Savage, 1:43.06
Women's 1,500m Run
2. Jessica Adamson, 4:52.06
Women's 100m Hurdles
7. Dominque Hever, 15.21 *
Women's 400m Hurdles
6. Dominique Hever, 1:09.96 *
10. Madison Smith, 1:12.63
Women's High Jump
--Tiffany Kenney, NH
--Melanie Mainor, NH
Women's Pole Vault
1. Mary Carson Pitts, 3.76m (12-4) *
4. Joanna Lapucha, 3.68m (12-0.75)
t-8. Jessica Knierim, 3.56m (11-8)
t-8. Emma Staisloff, 3.56m (11-8) *
Women's Long Jump
9. Tamika Brazzel, 4.97m (16-3.75)
11. Tiffany Kenney, 4.94m (16-2.5)
14. Estefany Cruz, 4.65m (15-3.25)
Women's Triple Jump
3. Briana Santiago, 11.28m (37-0.25)
Women's Shot Put
2. Taylor Potts, 13.51m (44-4) *
Women's Discus Throw
4. Cheyenne Swanson, 39.95m (131-1) *
Women's Hammer Throw
15. Cheyenne Swanson, 33.62m (110-3) *
Women's Javelin
1. Daliadiz Ortiz, 49.02m (160-10) *
12. Tiffany Kenney, 28.52m (93-7)
13. Dana Ohlson, 27.23m (89-4) *
Tulane Men
Men's 300m Dash
6. John Mouton, 35.37
13. Christopher Arechiga, 36.13
Men's 600m Run
4. Jonathan Heil, 1:23.28
Men's 1,500 Meter Run
1. Jack White, 4:05.81
Men's 3,000m Run
6. Nick Meloro, 9:24.09 *
9. Geoff Zelek, 9:29.63
Men's Pole Vault
5. Caleb Bertrand, 4.65m (15-3) *
Men's Shot Put
11. Anthony Taylor, 11.10m (36-5) *
Men's Discus Throw
8. Thomas Lynch, 42.08m (138-0)
15. Eldrick Washington, 32.08m (105-3)