Tulane Track & Field Wins Six Events at Southern Miss Invite
March 14, 2009
Complete Results | Complete Results in PDF Format
NEW ORLEANS - Ana Ruzevic posted an NCAA regional qualifying mark in the javelin, winning the event with a distance of 44.76 meters, as the Tulane men's and women's track & field teams opened the 2009 outdoor season. In the first men's track action since 2005, senior Ian Batherson won the pole vault for the Green Wave. Tulane also won five individual events on the women's side.
"It was great to see Ana start her Tulane career on the right foot with a regional qualifying mark," head coach Heather Van Norman said. "Overall, this was a good first meet for us. It was a low-key event where we could take stock of where we are. Now we have a good idea of what we need to improve on moving forward."
Tulane won five individual events on the women's side, with one men's individual champion.
In the 800-meter, Tulane finished 1-2 as sophomore Aieshia Brooks placed first in 2:21.89, taking a photo finish over freshman Johanna Gretschel, clocked at 2:21.90.
Tulane's picked up two more individual champions, as senior Keriann Langley finished first in the 5000-meter in 18:22.2 and sophomore Rebecca Coady won the 1500-meter run in 4:45. Freshman Elizabeth Piazza placed seventh in the 1500-meter in 5:49.
Junior Olivia Kizzee was the runner-up in the 100-meter dash with a 11.95 mark, her career-best mark. She also posted a personal-best in the 200-meter, finishing fourth in in 24.74. Junior Arielle Minor was 27th in the 400 with a 28.06 time, while Curtis' 28.65 put her 30th.
Freshman Kasey Rogers was fifth in the 100-meter dash at 12.31. Sophomore Zandria Debowles finished second in the 400-meter hurdles, with a mark of 1:04.22
Freshman Kelly Curtis placed fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a 15.90 time. Tulane's 4x400 relay squad of Gretschel, DeBowles, Coady and Brooks, finished sixth in 4:12.23
Senior Katarina Busljeta was the top finisher among collegians in the hammer, tossing a 48.68, finishing second behind an open contestant. Busljeta also won the discus with a throw of 41.50 meters. Freshman Trey Mullany-Banks was eighth with a throw of 30.63 meters.
Minor was third in the high jump, at a height of 1.50 meters. She was also 10th in the shot put with a toss of 9.42.
Curtis placed eighth in the javelin, at a personal-best 33.72 while Minor was 10th at 28.00, also a personal-best.
Sophomore Peggy Keplinger placed fifth in the pole vault at a height of 2.92 meters.
On the men's side, Batherson won the pole vault with a height of 4.26 meters. Freshman Garrett Myer placed fifth in the triple jump at 11.69. Also placing fifth was freshman Max Weber in the discus, with a toss of 37.81.
Tulane's 4x400 relay squad of freshmen Jordon Holtzman, Kevin Mitchell, Koplan Nwabuoku and Max Miller came in fourth, posting a time of 3:33.6.
Freshman Brian Lozes finished seventh in the 5000-meter run, with a time of 16.21. Freshman Mike Mainguy came in 13th in 17.38, while freshman Sean Meisler placed 15th in 18:28.
Holtzman's time of 2:20.98 was ninth in the 800-meter run. Nwabuoku was 14th in the 400-meter dash in 52.54, which Mitchell placed 15th in 54.11.
Myer posted an 11th-place rank in the long jump, at a distance of 5.80 meters and finished 21st in the 200-meter dash at 24.45.
Senior Andrew Chan turned in a 17th place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.42.