Alabama
Frank Sevigne Husker Invite
Middle Distance Wins Lead Tide at Nebraska
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
LINCOLN, Neb. - Wins in three middle distance races highlighted the University of Alabama's performance on Saturday, the second and final day of competition in the 40th Annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska.
Crimson Tide athletes produced 15 season-best performances (seven women's, eight men's) inSaturday's competition. Alabama also had four performances on the men's side that rank in the school's all-time top 10. Along with the three wins in the middle distances, the Tide amassed three runner-up finishes (one woman, two men) and three third-place finishes (two women, one men's relay).
"I've been looking for us to improve our competitive mindset with each meet, and I think we did that today," said Crimson Tide head coach Dan Waters. "Most of our people improved this weekend. We're approaching a critical juncture in our season, with SECs just three weeks away, and I think we added to our momentum this weekend."
Alabama sophomore Robbie Farnham-Rose's mile time of 4:01.34 won the special invitational of the men's mile Saturday. The time moves the sophomore up to third in the 2015 SEC ranks, as well as taking the no. 4 spot on the Alabama all-time performance list. He was followed across the line by senior teammate Matt Airola whose time of 4:01.66 ranks as both the fifth-best time in the SEC this year and in Alabama history.
Tide junior Steven Gayle won the invitational section of the men's 600-meter dash. Gayle, the lone Tide representative in the event, won with a time of 1:18.29.
Junior Kimberley Ficenec led the Alabama middle distance contingent on the women's side with a win in the invitational section of the 800 meters. Her time of 2:10.06 bested a field of seven other athletes.
MEN'S EVENTS
60 Meters: Junior Ahmed Ali was the lone competitor in the 60-meter dash finals Saturday. Ali qualified for the Saturday finals on Friday with a prelim time of 6.79. The junior returned Saturdayto run 6.81 in the final round of competition to finish sixth.
600 Meters: Tide junior Quincy Smith ran the 600-meter race in a time of 1:20.95. Smith crossed the line seventh among a field of 17 athletes in Saturday's race.
600 Meters (Invitational): Junior Steven Gayle won the invitational section of the 600 meters, crossing the line in a time of 1:18.29. Gayle was the lone Tide representative in the race.
800 Meters (Invitational): Alabama junior Andrew Harris ran a season best 1:53.11 in the invitational section of the men's 800 meters. The time earned him a sixth place finish in the field of 10 athletes.
Mile (Invitational): Sophomore Robbie Farnham-Rose claimed his second mile win of the 2015 indoor season in Saturday's invitational section of the mile. Rose ran a personal best 4:01.34 to edge teammate Matt Airola. Airola, a senior, finished just behind Farnham-Rose with a time of 4:01.66. Today's times rank as third and fifth in the SEC respectively. Tide junior Parker Deuel finished ninth in the race in a time of 4:14.58.
High Jump: Tide junior Justin Fondren improved his season best to a height of 7-1 3/4 in the high jump. That height ties his personal best, as well as the no. 4 clearance in Alabama history. It currently ranks as the top height in the SEC and is no. 13 in the NCAA in 2015.
Shot Put: Sophomore Kyle Felpel threw a season-best mark of 61-3 (18.67m) to finish runner-up in the men's shot put. The toss ranks as the fifth-best mark on the Alabama all-time performance list. It is also the no. 6 throw in the SEC in 2015. Sophomore Hayden Reed finished ninth overall with a mark of 56-3 1/4 (17.15m). Fellow sophomore Joe Williams threw 53-11 3/4 (16.45m), a season best, to finish 15th. Nathan Karr rounded out the sophomore quartet with a throw of 48-4 3/4 (14.75m) to finish 22nd.
Pole Vault: Freshman Jake Zalesky vaulted to a new season-best with a clearance of 15-11 1/4 (4.86m) in the pole vault. The height earned him 16th overall in a field of 21 athletes.
4x400-Meter Relay (Invitational): The Tide ran the 4x400-meter relay in 3:12.21 to take home third in the invitational section of the event.
WOMEN'S EVENTS
60 Meters (Final): Junior Dominique Kimpel was the lone Tide competitor in the 60-meter dash finals. Kimpel crossed the finish line in a time of 7.57 to finish seventh in the final race.
60-Meter Hurdle (Final): Redshirt sophomore Vanessa Clerveaux ran 8.44 to finish fifth in the 60-meter hurdle finals held Saturday.
600 Meters: Freshman Kaitlin Walker ran her first 600-meter race Saturday. Walker crossed the finish line in a time of 1:34.58 to finish third in her heat and eighth overall in a field of 15 athletes.
800 Meters: Freshman Veronica Lyle ran her second 800-meter race of the 2015 season, crossing the line in a season-best time of 2:12.09. The time was the third best in the field of 19 athletes.
800 Meters (Invitational): Tide junior Kimberley Ficenec won the invitational section of the 800 meters. Her time of 2:10.06 bested the field of eight athletes who all ran in the same heat.
Mile (Invitational): Alabama junior Meropi Panagiotou ran her second mile of the 2015 indoor season during Saturday's competition. Panagiotou finished the race in a time of 4:59.11 to take fifth place.
3000 Meters (Invitational): Alabama athletes racked up four season-best performances in the invitational section of the 3,000 meters. Junior Katelyn Greenleaf finished second in the event with a season-best time of 9:44.97. Junior Rebecca Stover (9:48.08) and sophomores Hannah Waggoner (9:51.89) and Allison Gregg (10:02.53) also ran season bests to finish fourth, fifth and seventh respectively. Freshman Caroline Barlow made her first collegiate appearance in the event, finishing 12th in a time of 10:16.39.
High Jump; Senior Katherine White cleared 5-2 1/4 (1.58m) to finish 17th in a field of 22 athletes.
Triple Jump: Junior Lacey Dent competed in the triple jump, which is not one of her main events, for the first time this year. She jumped 38-5 1/2 (11.72m) on her first venture down the runway before fouling on her next two attempts. The mark landed her in 11th place among a field of 17 athletes.
Shot Put: Tide senior Candicea Bernard tied her season best in the shot put, throwing 50-7 1/2 (15.43m) to finish fourth among a field of 21 athletes. Freshman Haley Teel finished eighth with her second-best throw of the season, 47-8 (14.53m).
4x400-Meter Relay: The 4x400-meter relay squad finished fourth overall among a field of 12 teams. The relay's time of 3:48.14 is the Tide's second-fastest time in the event this year.
Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Alabama Results
MEN
60 Meters (Final) - 6. Ahmed Ali, 6.81.
600 Meters - 7. Quincy Smith, 1:20.95.
600 Meters (Invitational) - 1. Steven Gayle, 1:18.29.
800 Meters (Invitational) - 6. Andrew Harris, 1:53.11.
Mile (Invitational) - 1. Robbie Farnham-Rose, 4:01.34; 2. Matt Airola, 4:01.66; 9. Parker Deuel, 4:14.58; Payton Ballard, DNF.
High Jump - 3. Justin Fondren, 7-1 3/4 (2.18m).
Shot Put - 2. Kyle Felpel, 61-3 (18.67m); 9. Hayden Reed, 56-3 1/4 (17.15m); 15. Joe Williams, 53-11 3/4 (16.45m); 22. Nathan Karr, 48-4 3/4 (14.75m).
Pole Vault - 16. Jake Zalesky, 15-11 1/4 (4.86m).
4x400-Meter Relay (Invitational) - 3. 3:12.21.
WOMEN
60 Meters (Final) - 7. Dominique Kimpel, 7.57.
60-Meter Hurdle (Finals) - 5. Vanessa Clerveaux, 8.44.
600 Meters - 8. Kaitlin Walker, 1:34.58.
800 Meters - 3. Veronica Lyle, 2:12.09.
800 Meters (Invitational) - 1. Kimberley Ficenec, 2:10.06.
Mile (Invitational) - 5. Meropi Panagiotou, 4:59.11.
3000 Meters (Invitational) - 2. Katelyn Greenleaf, 9:44.97; 4. Rebecca Stover, 9:48.08; 5. Hannah Waggoner, 9:51.89; 7. Allison Gregg, 10:02.53; 12. Caroline Barlow, 10:16.39; DNF Meropi Panagiotou.
High Jump - 17. Katherine White, 5-2 1/4 (1.58m).
Triple Jump - 11. Lacey Dent, 38-5 1/2.
Shot Put - 4. Candicea Bernard, 50-7 1/2 (15.43m); 8. Haley Teel, 47-8 (14.53m).
4x400-Meter Relay - 4. 3:48.14.
