Women Win, Men Finish Second in Track & Field's Outdoor Season Opener

Friday, March 2

Hammond, La. | Southeastern Track Complex

All Day

Tulane University

Tulane Early Bird Twilight

Women Win, Men Finish Second in Track & Field's Outdoor Season Opener

Mar 2, 2018 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field

Full Results

HAMMOND, La. - Tulane track and field kicked off the outdoor season in spectacular fashion Friday in the Early Bird Twilight Invitational, rolling behind the women's team's meet win and the men's side's second-place finish and dominance in the long-distance running events. The women finished in first with 103 points while the men took second with 54 points.

QUOTE
"I'm really happy that we were able to get this meet in as we had scheduled. We changed venues at the last minute and threw a curveball into this whole operation, but with the help of Southeastern Louisiana's Athletic Department and, specifically, their staff, we were able to host our annual home meet, and, as a result, we got some pretty good performances for the first outdoor meet. The women are really making a transition from indoor to outdoor, and we'll see them in the next few weeks really get into their typical events," Peterson said. "For the men, it's a really good starting point for them. We had some distance runners run well and make some lifetime bests in the opening meet. We're happy that we're off to a good start, and we're looking forward to the rest of the season." -Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Eric Peterson

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Green Wave's success started early in the throws, with senior Jacqueline Esmay's performance in the hammer throw. Esmay threw the ball a distance of 56.72m to claim a second-place finish.

Sophomore Ryan Singer and freshman Kyla Denwood competed in the discus throw, and each earned second-place finishes. Singer recorded a distance of 43.27m while Denwood, making her outdoor debut, notched a mark of 38.77m.

Following the throwing events, Tulane's women jumpers did their part in securing a meet win. Freshman Emma King and Pauline Helm finished second (1.60m) and third (1.55m), respectively, in the high jump, and freshman Danielle Wember won the long jump with her distance of 5.50m.

Junior Rebekah Markel led Tulane in the pole vault, recording a vault of 3.96m to win the event. Freshman Kristina Leggas finished second with a mark of 3.86m, and junior Rose Brutkiewicz and freshman Bailey Ash followed behind her at third and fourth, respectively.

The men's team's success in the long-distance running events began with freshman Patrick Dougherty and junior Pierce Hill finishing second and third, respectively, in the 1500m. Hill's time of 4:07.99 is a personal record.

Junior Emmanuel Rotich and sophomore Raymond Kibet helped the Green Wave roll on in the 800m, taking the top two spots. Rotich finished first with a time of 1:53.54 while Kibet came in behind him at second in 1:58.62.

Sophomore Carlos Zervigon, junior Joshua Cheruyot, freshman Andrew Kipkemboi and senior Stephen Medlin - all members of the cross country team - dominated in the 3000m run. Zervigon won the race in 8:53.34 while Cheruyot, Kipkemboi and Medlin finished second, third and fourth, respectively. Cheruyot's time of 8:57.95 is a new personal record.

On the women's side in the running events, sophomore Brandi Hughes, fresh off a gold-medal finish in the 60m hurdles at last weekend's indoor conference championships, wasted no time returning to her winning ways. Hughes won the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.49 and the 400m hurdles in 1:05.80.

Junior Maya Harewood won the 100m and 300m dash, dominating in her return to the outdoor track, while redshirt juniors Emma Newton and Lauren Bartels took the top spots in the 1500m. Newton won with a time of 4:48.76, and Bartels earned a second-place finish with a time of 4:50.45.

UP NEXT
The Green Wave now have an opportunity to catch their breath. Tulane will rest next weekend before traveling to Lafayette, Louisiana, to compete in the Louisiana Classics at UL Lafayette on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17.

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