Feb. 9, 2008
Complete Results
NEW YORK - Senior Gloria Asumnu took eighth in the 200-meter dash, the 4x200-meter relay team finished sixth and the 4x400 relay team placed eighth Saturday to lead the Tulane University women's track and field team at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory.
Asumnu turned in a 200m finals time of 24.07 to finish eighth, while junior Shaina Pelham ran 25.18 and sophomore Olivia Kizzee ran a season-best 25.32 in the 200m. The 4x200 relay, composed of Kizzee, junior Kyra Lobbins, freshman Zandria DeBowles and freshman Aieshia Brooks, ran for the first time this season and turned in a time of 1:41.80. Pelham, Asumnu and Kienast also helped lead the 4x400 relay team, along with sophomore Valencia Wilson, finished eighth with a time of 3:45.68. Senior Aubrey Phillips set a personal best time of 5:07.46 in the one mile run, as did freshman Rebecca Coady with her personal-best time of 5:10.88.
The field of 17 teams was the deepest of any meet in which the Green Wave have participated this season. Eight events featured more than 50 participants, including the 60m - 107 runners - and the 400m - 112 runners.
"As a coach, you have to expose you athletes to what is out there in the world," head coach
Heather Van Norman said of the depth of the meet. "You can't just stay around Louisiana and go to local meets all the time. You have to go to these big meets and see the kind of competition we saw here. This is the kind of competition you see at the national championship."
Junior Vanessa Kienast ran 2:20.45 and Brooks ran 2:21.08 - both times 800m personal bests for the athletes - while Coady ran a personal record 2:23.75 in the 800m. Senior Keriann Langley finished 17th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:43.64. Sophomore Arielle Minor ran a 9.81 in the preliminary round of the 60m hurdles.
Sophomore Nicolette Taku competed in the long jump and triple jump, turning in marks of 5.32m (17-05.50) in the long jump - a season best - and 11.28m (37-00.25) in the triple jump. Junior Katarina Busljeta threw the 20 lb. weight 13.15 meters (43-01.75) and the shot put 10.92m (35-10.00).
The Green Wave will be in action Feb. 15-16 with a split squad at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., and at the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa. All Tulane track and field news, interviews and meet results are available on the web at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.
TULANE RESULTS
200 METER DASH
PRELIMINARIES
8. Gloria Asumnu, 24.03
46. Shaina Pelham, 25.18
51. Olivia Kizzee, 25.32
FINALS
8. Gloria Asumnu, 24.07
800 METER RUN
40. Vanessa Kienast, 2:20.45
44. Aieshia Brooks, 2:21.08
59. Rebecca Coady, 2:23.75
1 MILE RUN
19. Aubrey Phillips, 5:05.68
24. Rebecca Coady, 5:09.08
5000 METER RUN
17. Keriann Langley, 18:43.64
60 METER HURDLES
PRELIMINARIES
82. Arielle Minor, 9.81
WEIGHT THROW
36. Katarina Busljeta, 13.15m (43-01.75)
SHOT PUT
52. Katarina Busljeta, 10.92m (35-10.00)
LONG JUMP
33. Nicolette Taku, 5.32m (17-05.50)
TRIPLE JUMP
25. Nicolette Taku, 11.28m (37-00.25)
4X200 METER RELAY
6. Tulane, 1:41.80
Kizzee, Lobbins, Debowles, Brooks
4X400 METER RELAY
8. Tulane, 3:45.68
Pelham, Asumnu, Kienast, Wilson
