May 13, 2011
Results
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -
Tim Glover earned All-Valley honors and registered the nation's top men's javelin throw this season with a mark of 258-09, which set new Missouri Valley Conference and MVC Outdoor Championship records, at the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Glover's throw also set a school record.
Glover won the conference title in the javelin with the personal-best throw, which marks back-to-back conference titles and All-Valley honors for the sophomore. The Normal, Ill., native previously broke the school and conference record during the Eastern Illinois Big Blue Classic (April 2) with a throw of 249-00. Glover had a convincing victory, as Wichita State's Brett Trudo took second with a throw of 224-02, which was nearly 35 feet shy of Glover's throw.
"Tim was outstanding today and to some point unbelievable," said head track and field coach Elvis Forde. "To lead the nation with the farthest throw is amazing to see, especially as a sophomore. Tim also set a conference record, outdoor championship record and school record with the throw. Everyone that was watching the men's javelin throw got a real treat today (Friday). It was amazing to watch."
After the first day of competition, the men's team is in second place with 25 points, while the women are fourth with 25 points. Southern Illinois is currently in first place on both the men's and women's sides with 45 and 46 points, respectively.
There were also strong performances in the women's field events, Leigh Petranoff won her third-straight conference title in the women's javelin throw and earned All-Valley honors with a heave of 152-07. Brittany Smith broke the school record in the hammer throw, as the sophomore earned All-Valley accolades with a career-best throw of 206-03 for third place. The Oak Park, Ill., native previously broke the school record at the Drake Relays (April 30) with a heave of 199-08. It is the first time in her career, that Smith has thrown the hammer over 200 feet.
"Most of the athletes that competed today did very well and scored points, which is the most important thing," said Forde. "We can hang our hats on their efforts and performances and carry that momentum into tomorrow. Leigh won the championship for the third year in a row. She threw well and got the victory like she was expected to do, but it was great to see Leigh grab her third conference title in three years. Brittany broke another school record and moved up the Valley best list, which is also great to see with two more events this weekend."
Akil Mills earned All-Valley honors with his third-place finish in the men's hammer throw. Mills finished the competition with a career-best throw of 200-10, which surpassed his previous best mark by 10 feet.
"Akil got over the 200-feet mark that he was trying to accomplish all season," said Forde. "For him to be on the All-Valley team as a freshman, is a real honor and shows the amount of work he has put in."
On the women's side, Samantha Bluske ran to All-Valley accolades in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 35:52.27, while Olivia Myers completed the race in a personal-best time of 36:44.29 for eighth place. In the pole vault, Emily Swift led the way for the Redbirds with a seventh-place finish, after recording a leap of 11-06.50, while Tori Ziegler was ninth place in the hammer throw with a personal-best mark of 179-05.
For the men, Scott Krapf ran to a top-five finish in the 10,000-meter run, crossing the finish line in 31:17.66, while Matt Mroczynski was sixth in 31:19.70. Spencer Prince grabbed a top-10 finish in the men's hammer throw with a mark of 175-11 for seventh place, while teammates Colin Fane (169-05), who recorded a personal-best in the event, and Patrick Trofimuk (162-01) finished in 11th and 12th places, respectively. Brian Pflederer was 11th in the javelin throw, after recording a personal-best toss of 174-11.
The Redbirds will return to the track Saturday at 10:30 a.m., with the completion of the men's decathlon. The field events will begin at 3 p.m., with the women's shot put and running events at 5 p.m., with the women's 100-meter hurdles preliminary race.
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