Alabama Dominates Day 2 of the War Eagle Invitational
4/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
AUBURN, Ala. - The Alabama men's and women's track & field teams won seven events and had the top collegiate finisher in six others on the final day of competition Friday at the War Eagle Invitational hosted by Auburn at the Hutsell-Rosen Track in Auburn, Ala.
"It was a good performance across the board for both our men and our women this weekend," head coach Dan Waters said. "We had (personal bests) all over the place and it sets us up for what we want to do down at LSU next week and ultimately SECs and nationals." Event winners included Britainy Smith in the women's pole vault (13 feet 1 ½ inches/4.00 meters), junior Quanesha Burks in the women's long jump (22-2 ¼ /6.76m), junior Joe Williams in the men's discus (195-8/59.63m), junior Kyle Felpel in the men's shot (61-3/18.67m), junior Diamond Gause in the women's 200 meters (23.35), senior Ahmed Ali in the men's 200 meters (20.52) and the women's 4x100 meter relay team of juniors Vanessa Clerveaux, Gause, Alex Gholston and Burks (43.91). Top collegiate finishers were senior Justin Fondren in the men's high jump (7-0 ½ /2.15m), Clerveaux in the women's 100 hurdles (13.43), Gause in the women's 100 meters (11.44), senior Tadashi Pinder in the men's 100 meters (10.43) and junior Jacopo Lahbi in the men's 800 meters (season-best 1:47.31).
Alabama returns to action Saturday April 30 at the LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge, La. This will be the Tide's final meet before hosting the Southeastern Conference Track & Field Championships May 12-14 at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Complex in Tuscaloosa.
Below is a closer look at Alabama's Saturday's performances.
Saturday Men's Event Summaries - War Eagle Invitational
100 Meters - Senior Tadashi Pinder posted the fastest time by a collegian (second overall) at 10.43, his second-best mark of the year.
200 Meters - Senior Ahmed Ali won the 200 meters in a time of 20.52.
400 Meters - Freshman Skyler Bowden finished 7th in 48.57 in his first 400-meter race of the outdoor season. Freshman Harrison Dudley also ran his first 400 of the season and posted a time of 52.04.
800 Meters - Junior Jacopo Lahbi was the fastest collegian with season-best time of 1:47.31. Freshman Isaac Trevino also turned in a season-best time of 1:51.82 to finish as the third collegian. 1,500 Meters - Freshman Clay Austell finished 8th in a time of 4:03.39 in his first 1,500 race of the season.
Steeplechase - Seniors Eric Sivill and Parker Deuel finished 5-6 in the steeplechase with times of 9:29.46 and 9:38.05 respectively in their first outing in the event this season.
4x100 Meter Relay - The quartet of junior Jeremiah Green, seniors Ahmed Ali and Tadashi Pinder and junior Tony Brown did not finish after a failed exchange on the second handoff.
High Jump - Senior Justin Fondren finished as the top collegian - and third overall - in the event with a season-best mark of 7-0 ½ (2.15m).
Discus - Alabama swept the top four spots in the discus. Junior Joe Williams won with a mark of 195-8 (59.63m). He was followed by freshman Kord Ferguson at 192-3 (58.61m), junior Hayden Reed at 188-4 (57.40m) and freshman Daniel Haugh at 184-2 (56.14m). Haugh's mark is a season-best.
Shot Put - Junior Kyle Felpel won with a season-best effort of 61-3 (18.67m). Juniors Nathan Karr and Hayden Reed finished 3-4 with marks of 54-11 ½ (16.75m) and 53-5 ¾ (16.30) respectively.
Pole Vault - Freshman Will Herrscher continued his strong first season campaign with a second place effort of 16-6 ¾ (5.05m). Sophomore Jacob Zalesky finished in a tie for 9th at 15-1 (4.60m).
Saturday Women's Event Summaries - War Eagle Invitational
100 Meters - Junior Diamond Gause finished as the top collegian (2nd overall) with a season-best time of 11.44.
200 Meters - Alabama posted the two of the three fastest collegiate times in the 200 meters, led by junior Diamond Gause's first place finish in a personal-best time of 23.35. Freshman Katie Funcheon was fourth (third collegian) in a personal-best 23.71. Juniors Domonique Williams and Alex Gholston finished 8th and 9th in personal-best times of 23.872 and 23.877. Freshman Janel Pate was 11th in a personal best of 24.16. Sophomore Olivia Fotopoulou was 12th at 24.45. Briana Sims finished in 25.52.
400 Meters - Competing in her first outdoor 400 meter event as a collegian, freshman Kristyn Williams finished 13th in a time of 56.93.
800 Meters - Senior Meropi Panagiotou finished 6th in a time of 2:13.63.
100 Hurdles - Junior Vanessa Clerveaux finished as the top collegian (2nd overall) with a time of 13.43
1,500 Meters - Sophomore Jessica Gray (4:48.37) and freshman Ebie Douglas (4:51.91) finished 6th and 9th respectively. Douglas' time is a personal-best.
5,000 Meters - Briana Koshy finished 8th in a time of 19:07.21
4x100 Meter Relay - Juniors Clerveaux, Gause, Gholston and Burks won in a time of 43.91, which is the seventh-fastest in school history and marks the third time this season the quartet has cracked the school's top 10 in the event.
4x400 Meter Relay - The quartet of Funcheon, senior Kimberley Ficenec, freshman Kristyn Williams and Pate finished second in 3:43.07
High Jump - Freshmen Claire Orcel and Stacey Destin finished 2-3 in the high jump with identical marks of 5-7 (1.70m). The mark is Orcel's best of the season.
Long Jump - Junior Quanesha Burks won the long jump with a season-best mark of 22-2 ¼ (6.76m). Senior Lacey Dent finished 5th with a season-best mark of 19-11 (6.07m). Sophomore Filippa Fotopoulou was 9th at 19-5 ½ (5.93m).
Discus - Sophomore Haley Teel had the second-best throw (third overall) by a collegian at 166-8 (50.80m). Freshman Holly Julifs finished 12th at 139-0 (42.38m) Shot Put - Sophomore Haley Teel finished third in the shot with a mark of 52-7 ½ (16.04m). That is her second-best effort of the season.
Pole Vault - Sophomore Britainy Smith won the pole vault with an effort of 13-1 ½ (4.00m). The mark is a personal-best and the first time she has cleared 13 feet for Alabama.
Invitational Pole Vault - Senior Anna Reed was the fourth collegian (5th overall) in the invitational pole vault with a mark of 13-8 ¼ (4.17m).
War Eagle Invitational
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Alabama Results Men
100 Meters - 2. (First collegian) Tadashi Pinder, 10.43
200 Meters - 1. Ahmed Ali, 20.52
400 Meters - 7. Skyler Bowden, 48.57; 20. Harrison Dudley, 52.04
800 Meters - 2. (First collegian) Jacopo Lahbi, 1:47.31; 4. (Third collegian) Isaac Trevino, 1:51.82
1,500 Meters - 8. Clay Austell, 4:03.49
Steeplechase - 5. Eric Sivill, 9:29.46; 6. Parker Deuel, 9:38.05
4x100 Meter Relay - DNF. Alabama (Green, Ali, Pinder, Brown)
High Jump - 3. (First collegian) Justin Fondren, 7-0 ½ (2.15m)
Discus - 1. Joe Williams, 195-8 (59.63m); 2. Kord Ferguson, 192-3 (58.61m); 3. Hayden Reed, 188-4 (57.40m); 4. Daniel Haugh, 184-2 (56.14m)
Shot Put - 1. Kyle Felpel, 61-3 (18.67m); 3. Nathan Karr, 54-11 ½ (16.75m); 4. Hayden Reed, 53-5 ¾ (16.30m)
Pole Vault - 2. Will Herrscher, 16-6 ¾ (5.05m); t9. Jacob Zalesky, 15-1 (4.60m)
Women
100 Meters - 2. (1st collegian) Diamond Gause, 11.44
200 Meters - 1. Diamond Gause, 23.35; 4. (3rd collegian) Katie Funcheon, 23.71; 8. (7th) Domonique Williams, 23.872; 9. (8th) Alex Gholston, 23.877; 11. (10th) Janel Pate, 24.16; 12. (11th) Olivia Fotopoulou, 24.45; 35. (33rd) Brianna Sims, 25.52
400 Meters - 13. Kristyn Williams, 56.93
800 Meters - 6. Meropi Panagiotou, 2:13.63; DNF. Sarah Mohan
100 Hurdles - 2. (First collegian) Vanessa Clerveaux, 13.43
400 Hurdles - DNF. Jada Jackson
1,500 Meters - 5. Jessica Gray, 4:48.37; 9. Ebie Douglas, 4:51.91
5,000 Meters - 8. Briana Koshy, 19:07.21
4x100 Meter Relay - 1. Alabama, 43.91 (Clerveaux, Gause, Gholston, Burks)
4x400 Meter Relay - 2. Alabama, 3:43.07 (Funcheon, Ficenec, Kristyn Williams, Pate)
High Jump - 2. Claire Orcel, 5-7 (1.70m); 3. Stacey Destin, 5-7 (1.70m)
Long Jump - 1. Quanesha Burks, 22-2 ¼ (6.76m); 5. Lacey Dent, 19-11 (6.07m); 9. Filippa Fotopoulou, 19-5 ½ (5.93m)
Discus - 3. (Second collegian) Haley Teel, 166-8 (50.80m); 12. (11th collegian) Holly Julifs, 139-0 (42.38m)
Shot Put - 3. Haley Teel, 52-7 ½ (16.04m)
Pole Vault - 1. Britainy Smith, 13-1 ½ (4.00m)
Invitational Pole Vault - 5. (fourth collegian) Anna Reed, 13-8 ¼ (4.17m)
