Tops Earn 20 Top-10 Finishes at Samford Indoor Open

Friday, January 17

Birmingham, Ala.

Western Kentucky University

Samford Invite

1/18/2020 8:11:00 PM | Track & Field

Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dartez Hamlin and Marlowe Mosley collected the first event titles of the season for WKU Track & Field as the squad wrapped up the two-day Samford Indoor Open from Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday. The Hilltoppers brought home 20 top-10 finishes along with 20 personal bests while competing at the Birmingham CrossPlex for the first of three times this season.

"This was a solid showing for us," WKU Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Brent Chumbley opened. "We saw Dartez and Marlowe earn wins in the 200 and 400 while Alexis turned in a strong 200-meter showing for second place not to mention earning runner up in both pole vault events. Our distance groups turned in several PRs and ran well despite some very difficult event doubles."

"We are still fighting some injuries but our student-athletes continue to train and compete as hard as circumstances allow," Chumbley added. "The team is coming together well and showing great support for one another."

In total, 18 teams were represented at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Those programs included Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Georgia State, Jackson State, Jacksonville State, Meridian CC, Mississippi College, Mobile, Montevallo, Samford, Southern Miss, Troy, Voorhees, Xavier-Louisiana and WKU.

On the men's side, Hamlin brought home the 200-meter crown in his first race of the season after earning a mark of 21.59. The junior-transfer also turned in another stellar showing in the 60-meter dash, running a 6.93 to bring home fourth place in the finals. In the 400 meter, Mosley clocked a 48.90 to clinch the event title

Dedrick Troxell added a pair of top-five finishes in the 800 meter (fifth place) and mile (third place) with personal-best times of 1:55.69 and 4:17.58, respectively. Clint Sherman turned in a pair of top-10 finishes as well, taking home seventh in the mile (4:25.44) and third in the 3000 meter (9:02.71), both personal bests for the sophomore. Jacob Steppe, Jacob Skillman and Ethan Snyder each added a top-10 finish as well.

Brett Brannon turned in a personal-best 15.38-meter mark in the weight throw to finish fifth while Joel Dittoe earned eighth place in the event. Devon Montgomery accounted for the 15^th top-10 finish on the men's side, taking home runner-up honors in the pole vault with a clear of 4.40 meters.

WKU MEN'S RESULTS
60m
Prelims – 5^th – Dartez Hamlin – 6.96
Semis – 6^th – Dartez Hamlin – 6.95
Finals –4^th – Dartez Hamlin – 6.93 (fastest time of weekend, 2^nd fastest of season)
200m
1^st – Dartez Hamlin – 21.59 (First time running this season, WKU best)
400m
1^st – Marlowe Mosley – 48.90
33^rd – Dylan Duckworth – 55.29
800m
5^th – Dedrick Troxell – 1:55.69 (PR)
13^th – Jacob Steppe – 2:01.41
21^st – Dylan Duckworth – 2:12.59 (PR)
1 Mile
3^rd – Dedrick Troxell – 4:17.58 (PR)
7^th – Clint Sherman – 4:25.44 (PR)
8^th – Jacob Steppe – 4:25.97 (PR)
3000m
3^rd – Clint Sherman – 9:02.71 (PR)
4^th – Jacob Skillman – 9:03.54 (PR)
5000m
10th – Ethan Snyder – 16:10.07 (PR)
11^th – Will Perrone – 16:12.18 (PR)
Weight Throw
5^th – Brett Brannon – 15.38m (50'5.5") (PR)
8^th – Joel Dittoe – 14.59m (47'10.5")
Shot Put
14^th – Joel Dittoe – 11.90m (39' 0.5")
Long Jump
11^th – Sheldon Noble – 6.27m (20'7")
Pole Vault
2^nd – Devon Montgomery – 4.40m (14'5.25")

On the women's side, Alexis Williams knocked three-tenths of a second off her Conference USA second-best 200-meter time, turning in a 24.23 in Birmingham for second place. Savannah Heckman added a top-10 finish in the mile run with a personal-best 5:13.90 reading to go along with a sixth-place showing in the 3000-meter event with another personal-best time (10:39.11).

In the field, Annastacia Forrester took home third place in the long jump with a mark of 5.56 meters. Grace Turner turned in a personal-best 3.75-meter clear in the pole vault to finish in second place. Nikki Ogorek recorded a 3.35-meter mark to tie for seventh in the event.

"Grace had a great day jumping," Chumbley added. "She missed the win by just one jump while also recording a personal best."

WKU saw Lady Toppers turn in eight personal-best showings from the Samford Indoor Open.

WKU WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m
2^nd – Alexis Williams – 24.23 (PR)
14^th – Samyzia Sears – 26.28 (PR)
400m
12^th – Aairiona Hayden-Ransom – 59.49
26^th – Audrey Griffin – 1:03.65
1 Mile
10^th – Savannah Heckman – 5:13.90 (PR)
20^th – Jenna Vaughn – 5:39.20 (PR)
3000m
6^th – Savannah Heckman – 10:39.11 (PR)
12^th – Kaia Enevoldsen – 11:41.26 (PR)
15^th – Heather Whitlow – 12:13.83 (PR)
5000m
12^th – Haley Webb – 20:10.28 (PR)
16^th – Abby Luce – 22:56.43 (PR)
Weight Throw
18^th – Mary Claire Redden – 11.44m (37'6.5")
Shot Put
14^th – Jessica Smith – 10.51m (34'5.75")
Long Jump
3^rd – Annastacia Forrester – 5.56m (18'3")
Pole Vault
2^nd – Grace Turner – 3.75m (12'3.5") (PR)
T-7^th – Nikki Ogorek – 3.35m (10'11.75")

"Competing over the holiday break is always tricky," Chumbley continued. "Coach Ansley and Coach Nau have done a great job managing our training over the last two weeks since we've been back on campus. A lot goes into training during break and everyone has stepped up to help the program run smoothly."

WKU Track & Field will hit the road again next week for the Thundering Herd Invitational on Jan. 24-25. The weekend in Huntington, W.Va., marks the Red and White's third-straight weekend of competition.

How to follow WKU Track & Field: For complete information on WKU Track & Field, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUTrackField.