University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Track and Field Championships - Day One Notes
5/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Men's Hammer
Senior Adam Judge (Indiana) took the title, shattering the meet record with an NCAA regional qualifier and US Championships qualifier of 223-5 (68.09m). The previous Big Ten meet record was 218-5 set by Iowa's Arno Van Der Westuien in 2000, and he broke his own all-time Big Ten record of 221-7 (67.55) which he set earlier this season at Purdue. Judge's mark currently ranks sixth in the nation.
Junior Dan Taylor (Ohio State) came in second, also qualifying for NCAA competition and US Championships with his mark of 217-5 (66.27m).
Women's Hammer
Returning from a second-place finish of 193-9 last year, senior April Phillips (Michigan) took the meet record and Bierman Field record with an NCAA regional qualifier and a US Championships qualifier of 199-2 (60.71m). The previous meet record had been set by Katy Craig (Ohio State) with a toss of 196-6 in 2002. Phillips fell just short of the all-time Big Ten record of 199-3 (60.74m) that she set earlier this season at the Len Paddock Invitational. She took 12th in the event and earned All-America honors at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Her mark is currently the 12th-best in the nation.
Sophomore Kate Johnston (Penn State) entered Big Tens right behind Philips with a career best and school record of 197-3 (60.12m), and she ended up finishing right behind Philips as well, also breaking the Bierman Field record and earning a regional qualifier with her toss of 192-8 (58.74m).
Senior Deshaya Williams (Penn State) finished in third with another Bierman Field record and NCAA qualifier of 190-10 (58.18m).
Decathlon
Senior JT Kuretich (Penn State) leads the decathletes after five events at the end of day one of competition with 3,867 points. He took first in the 100 meters and the 400 meters.
Sophomore Jason Swenson (Minnesota) led the competition until he moved into second with 3,831 points after a third-place finish in the 400 meters.
Sophomore Travis Brandstatter (Minnesota) held the top score of 7,186 coming into competition but was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury suffered in the 100 meters, the first event of the competition. He placed fourth at Big Ten's last year.
Junior Ryan Tremelling (Wisconsin) was the top returner to Big Tens, placing second in last year's competition with a score of 7,137. He currently sits in third with 3,686 total points.
Heptathlon
Junior Danielle Bobo (Penn State) is in first in the heptathlon after day one of competition with 3,101 total points. She took first in two of four events, earning top marks in the 100 hurdles and the shot put and the second-best time in the 200 meters. She came into competition as the favorite, leading the field this season with the top point total of 4,826 points.
Pole Vault
Senior Tara Clack (Wisconsin) placed first and junior Jessie Strand (Iowa) took second, both setting the Bierman Field record and earning regional qualifiers with vaults of 12-10 (3.91m). Clack took second last year with a vault of 12-7 1/4 and entered competition with the top mark of 13-1 3/4 (4.01m), which is good enough for 13th in the nation. Strand tied for third with Sara Dougherty (Penn State) at last year's Big Tens and placed seventh in 2000 - the only vaulter in this group to place multiple times in the event.
Senior Simona Kovacic (Purdue) came into this meet with the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 16th-best mark in the nation of 13-1 1/4 (4.00m). She took third with a vault of 12-6 (3.81m), tying junior Dougherty's fourth-place mark. Both athletes tied the Bierman Field record and qualified for regional competition.
Women's 10,000 Meters
Sophmore Jamie Krzyminski (Michigan State) passed Freshman Rebecca Walter (Michigan) in the homestretch to win the 10,000 meters in 34:54.96 after Walter had led for a majority of the race. Walter came in just after Krzyminski, completing the race in 34:55.82. Krzyminski entered the event with the best time in the conference and the ninth-best time in the nation of 33:29.98. She came in second at Big Tens last year.
Men's 10,000 Meters
Derrick Butler (Ohio State) took the 10,000-meter title with a time of 31:36.16. He has placed in the event in every outdoor Big Ten meet in his career, finishing seventh last year, fourth in 2001, and eighth in 2000.
Team Scores
Defending champion Michigan leads the women after day one with 25 team points. Penn State is in second with 19 points.
Indiana leads the men's team competition with 22 points in day one. Men's defending champion Wisconsin is tied with Iowa for sixth place with six points.