Track finishes first in W&J invitational

Last Saturday, the Carnegie Mellon track and field teams competed in the Washington and Jefferson Invitational in Washington, Pa. The men’s team continued to overpower its opponents, winning the invitational with 144 points. The women’s team saw several top runners in the sprinting events, taking eighth among 15 teams, with 42 points. Allegheny College took first with 144 points.
Senior Eric Tang led the team in the men’s 100-meter dash, finishing third with a time of 11.38. First-year Don Mignoga followed with a seventh-place finish with a time of 11.54. Tang (23.15) and Mignogna (23.83) took sixth and 10th in the 200-meter dash as well, respectively. First-year Essien Ohues finished ninth with a time of 23.46.

“Personally I prefer very hot weather, so this weekend was a little cold for me and I did not do as well as I wanted,” Tang said.
In the 110-meter hurdles, first-year Chris Luther took sixth with a time of 16.39. Sophomore Chris Bogie placed fifth with a time of 57.27 in the 400-meter hurdles. Senior Scott Fortune won the 800-meter dash with a time of 1:55.59. Behind Fortune, first-years Nate Bussiere (1:57.19) and Dan Addis (2:00.54) finished fifth and 10th, respectively.

The long-distance runners continued to excel in the 1500-meter run, led by junior Brian Harvey. Harvey finished second with a time of 3:53.48. Junior Ryan Anderson (4:06.82) and sophomore Dario Donatelli (4:07.47) took fifth and sixth, respectively. Senior Drew Miller finished eighth with a time of 4:07.82. Sophomore Chris Rizzo finished fifth in the 5000-meter run with a time of 16:03.33.

In the long jump, Tang (6.37 meters) and first-year Mike Tomovich (6.24 meters) took third and fourth, respectively. Ohues and Pat O’Brien jumped 1.90 meters and 1.80 meters to take first and fourth, respectively, in the high jump. Sophomore Eric Couphos placed fifth in the triple jump with 12.63 meters.

In the pole vaults, sophomore Chris Bridgman finished first with 4.26 meters.

Sophomore James Hulley had a strong day, placing second in the shot put (44.30 meters) and third in the discus throw (13.99 meters). Senior Chris Uhrinek led the team in the javelin throw with a third-place finish overall (50.24 meters).

Senior Mike Reggie won the men’s hammer with 49.44 meters. Junior Chris Fornataro (41.56 meters) and Hulley (38.93 meters) took fourth and seventh, respectively.

For the women’s team, junior Sami Simons finished seventh in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.44. First-year Courney Baker took seventh in the 200-meter dash with at time of 27.66.

First-year Laura McKee also came in second in the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:59.92. In the triple jump, first-years Melissa Hwang (10.31 meters) continued to improve with a fifth-place finish. Fellow first-year Danielle Fisher took eighth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:13.11.

“Today’s meet went really well. This weekend’s race was my first collegiate 1500; it was nice to improve on my high school mile time,” McKee said.

In the 400-meter dash, sophomore Diane Mattingly came in second with an impressive time of 59.65.

First-year Erica Spiritos took ninth with a time of 1:08.06. Seniaor Ashley Bakelmun also had a strong race, finishing second in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:23.71.

“I think the team did really well,” said sophomore Crystal LeePow. “We placed in almost every event and I’m looking forward to the UAA in Chicago.”

The men’s and women’s teams will return to action at home this Tuesday, April 8 for the Carnegie Mellon Tri-Meet.

“Having back-to-back meets is definitely a challenge. But it simulates our conference meet well since UAA is going to be a two-day meet,” Tang said. “This is when we really have to focus and do whatever it takes to get the job done.”