Busy Weekend With Strong Results For Ferris State Track Teams

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and filed teams competed in three different meets over the weekend.

FSU had student-athletes compete on both Friday and Saturday (April 17-18) at the Elaine Leigh Invite hosted by Oakland University in Rochester.

The Bulldogs' Frances Hoffman won the 400 hurdles (1:08.01) with Kenna Barber fifth (1:11.38). Additionally, Whitney Farrell took first place in the 3,000 steeplechase with a NCAA Provisional Qualifying time of 10:57.72. Emily Plouff earned runner-up honors in the steeple at 11:37.68.

Jessica Durkee finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at the invite with a time of 4:47.70. Ella Kowatch took fifth place in the collegiate division of the 800 meters, turning in a time of 2:23.06. Meanwhile, Lacey Zimmerman took seventh place at Oakland in the 200 meters with a clocking of 26.73 in the race.

In the 5,000 meters, Ferris State's Olivia Van Denend was fifth (18:19.43) with Ava LaMilza seventh (18:25.14).

FSU was also first in the women's 4x100-meter relay as the team of Breanna Campbell, Ana Fortier, Darnesha Fraley and Zimmerman finished in a time of 49.41. The 4x400-meter relay squad was fourth, consisting of Campbell, Fraley, Claudia Johnson and Oliviah Malloy (4:13.54).

On the men's side, Carson Guysi was third in the 100 meters (10.86). Lucas Sefferlein was third in the 400 meters (48.64) with Chase Segaar fifth (50.19). Josh Langeland took fifth in the 800 meters (1:57.21).

FSU's Emmett Johnson placed fourth in the 5,000 meters (14:59.01) and Ben Knuth was seventh (15:04.30). Hayden Gould took seventh place in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:19.28).

The men's 4x400-meter relay squad placed first (3:24.16) and consisted of Segaar, Langeland, Luke Berney and Sefferlein.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs also competed at the Calvin Invite in Grand Rapids. For the women, Maddy Biller placed fifth in the hammer throw (137-0) and Meaghan Robertson was eighth in the discus (105-2).

The men's team was led by Hunter Richardson at Calvin with a third-place finish in the shot put (46-9). Brady Zarb came in fourth (43-9) in the shot and was also fourth in the discus (130-5) open division. Richardson placed sixth in the discus invite (139-8). FSU's Jack Romel was fifth in the javelin (136-11) with Richardson eighth (134-7).

Finally, Ferris State's Andrew Shafley competed at the Sean Collier Invitational in Cambridge, Mass., and placed fifth in the 800-meter run elite division with a time of 1:57.44.

The Bulldogs are next in action on April 24-25 at the GVSU Extra Weekend Meet in Allendale.