WACO, Texas – Illinois State Track & Field opened up competition at the Michael Johnson and Gary Wieneke Invitationals on Friday, as six Redbirds recorded ISU all-time top-10 marks on the first day of competition.
EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS
As the Redbirds got the day started in Waco, Texas for the Michael Johnson Invitational, nine student-athletes set either a new personal best or season best in their respective events, led by junior Melissa Parrella.
Competing in the women's long jump, Parrella went for a season-best mark of 6.14m/20-01.75 to finish 8th overall. Parrella's season-best mark also places the Venezula native in ISU's top-10 for the event, as she now sits with the fourth highest outdoor event mark as a Redbird.
Not to be outdone, sophomore Sean Hopkins would look to replicate Parrella's success as he competed in the men's long jump. The Denver native would finish in the event's top-five with a new personal best mark of 7.27m/23-10.25, which also stands as the seventh highest event mark in program history.
Then, it was the speed of ISU showcased in the 400m hurdles as a pair of 'Birds set a new personal best. First, Kayla Perry would go for a finals time of 1:00.73 as she continues to hold the seventh-fastest event time in program history. Then, on the men's side, it was Jaylin Holmes showing off as the freshman came in with a time of 52.59, the seventh-fastest outdoor event time in program history.
The day got started for ISU with none other than Amiri Buchanan making an impact in the men's hammer throw. The Romeoville, Ill. native turned in a mark of 57.17m/187-06 which replaces his previous best of 56.58m as the 10th best outdoor mark in program history.
The Redbirds would also see a pair of personal bests set by Lindsey Miller and Enyinnaya Nwawgu Jr. on Friday. In the women's 200m, it was Miller finishing ina time of 24.12 while Nwawgu Jr. would go for a PR time of 21.50 in the men's variation of the event.
The men's and women's 200m also saw Arianna Walker turn in a season-best time of 24.31 on the women's side and Edward Watkins go for a season-best time of 22.11 on the men's side of competition.
ACTION FROM THE GARY WIENEKE INVITATIONAL
As ISU would also be in action from Champaign on Friday, the 'Birds saw a new top-10 mark set as well as three event wins and a total of seven top-five event finishes overall.
Most notably, the women's 3000m steeplechase would be won by Mattison Plummer, who finished in a time of 10:29.51 which is now the 9th fastest outdoor event time in program history.
The Redbirds also saw Evan Pickard pick up the win in the men's pole vault with a final mark of 4.60m/15-01.00 as well as an event victory by Claire Fuhlhage in the women's 5000m in a time of 17:30.45.
Fuhlhage was joined in the top-five of the women's 5000m by teammate Lauren Schulze who finished second in the event with her time of 17:45.33.
Danielle Taets would gather second place in the women's triple jump as the junior would go for a final mark of 11.96m/39-03.00 Friday. The final Redbird to gather a second-place finish on Friday would be Maddi Exline in the women's 1500m as the Streamwood native finished in a time of 4:25.74.
Senior Rachel Hickey followed closely behind Exline in the women's 1500m as she collected a third-place finish with a time of 4:25.96.
UP NEXT
Illinois State is back in action tomorrow to conclude the Michael Johnson and Gary Wieneke Invitationals.
Competition from Champaign resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. CT while the Redbirds get the day started from Waco at 11 a.m. CT.
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