Harriers hustle hard at the Rock

With the Big East Championships less than a month away, the Pitt men’s and women’s track teams… With the Big East Championships less than a month away, the Pitt men’s and women’s track teams strived for personal bests at this past weekend’s events.

As a whole, the track teams did not have outstanding performances at the Sea Ray Relays this weekend, but the Panthers, who competed at the Slippery Rock Invitational, were dominant in several events.

In Knoxville, Tenn., at the Sea Ray Relays, junior Matt Raquet placed first in the men’s javelin throw open, throwing a distance of 212 feet and 1 inch. Raquet placed third overall.

Sophomore Brianna Boyles teamed with freshmen Anita James, Jazmin Hunt and Kari Weimerskirch to take fourth in the 4-by-100-meter shuttle hurdle. They finished with a time of 59.43 seconds.

Senior Curtis Larimer also made a memorable appearance at the Relays, placing fifth in the 10,000-meter run, finishing in 31:18.45.

Pole vaulter Ron Walter, jumper Janessa Murphy and distance runner Sam Bair placed sixth in their respective events.

Walter found himself in a three-way tie for sixth in the men’s pole vault with a height of 16 feet and 6.75 inches.

Murphy jumped for 19 feet, 11 inches in the long jump.

With a time of 3:48.9 seconds, Bair placed sixth in the 1,500-meter run.

At the Slippery Rock Invitational, senior Ali Briggs placed second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:20.11. Briggs also took first in the 1,500-meter run, finishing in 4:52.15. Freshman June Farley placed eighth, running for 5:12.69.

In the 5,000-meter run Anna Yoney, Nikki Bielick and Alicia Lichvar each had top 10 finishes. Yoney took first, Bielick eighth and Lichvar 10th.

Aurielle McCauley, Erinn McMahon and Kaitlyn Flynn placed fourth, sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 100-meter hurdles. McMahon also tied with sophomore Shanae’ Thomas to take third in the women’s long jump with a distance of 4.99 meters.

In the women’s discus throw Kayla Comrie and Alexis Wilder placed third and fourth, respectively.

With a time of 4:18.24, Lane King placed fifth in the men’s 1,500-meter run.

Panthers Teddy Miller, Josh Christopher, Sam Weiser, Kyle Kaminski and John Morrow owned the 5,000-meter run, taking first, second, third, fifth and eighth places, respectively.

Junior Will Grinstead placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.92 seconds.

On the field, Garret Larkin took second in the men’s shot put with a distance of 15.21 meters. Senior A.J. Kielinski also placed second in the discus throw, throwing for 44.68 meters. Kielinski placed fourth in the hammer throw.

Several Panthers are performing better than they were at this point last year, which sheds a positive light on the upcoming championships.

Next weekend the Panthers will head to Baltimore, Md. for the Morgan State Legacy Event.