ATLANTA, Ga. – Wittenberg Track and Field teams travelled south for the weekend, competing in the Emory Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The competition was tough, but the Tigers pulled through with the men placing eighth of 21 and the women tying for 17 of 26.

WOMEN'S TOP PERFORMANCES

• Freshman Tyra Barnes cruised to the finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.84 for tenth place.
• Barnes again claimed tenth with a time of 57.99 in the 400 meter dash. On a national level, she ranks eighth across NCAA Division III.
• Narrowly missing top-eight, senior Hannah Meier achieved a personal record of 44:04.83 and a ninth place finish in the 10,000 meter run.
• Junior Olivia Stevens rounded out her weekend with a ninth place finish in the 400 meter-hurdles with a time of 1:09.19.
• The Tiger 4x100 meter relay team, featuring Samantha Mitchell, Barnes, Tiarra Avant, and Alaina Longshore, had an impressive 11th place finish with a time of 49.78.
• Freshman Gabrielle Draginoff placed third overall in the pole vault finals, making a height of 3.08 meters.
• Junior Anissa Dann wrapped up just outside of the top-ten in discus, throwing 39.84 meters for 11th place.
• Senior Frankie Bowsher proved strong with her sixth place victory in javelin with a distance of 32.76 meters.

MEN'S TOP PERFORMANCES

• Sophomore Kenny Mayes achieved sixth place overall with a time of 1:56.42 in the 800 meter dash.
• Also placing sixth was sophomore Charles Rodeheffer in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 34:16.79.
• Junior Tyler Gittins was seeded eighth for finals of the 110 meter-hurdles, then proved strong with his 15.44 second finish for sixth.
• Gittins also showed his might with a fourth place finish in the 400 meter-hurdles, clocking in at 54.92. This time puts him 11th against all NCAA Division III competitors.
• Narrowly missing top-eight in the 400 meter-hurdles as well was sophomore Kyle Farnbauch, checking in with a time of 55.97.
• The 4x100 meter relay team consisting of Tyler Branton, Matt Entsminger, Jalen Fultz, and Brandon Johnson placed ninth with a time of 42.90, missing out on top-eight by four tenths of a second.
• The 4x400 meter relay team acquired a sixth place victory with a time of 3:22.64. The team featured Gittins, Mayes, Ryan Hale, and Cody Shutt.
• Freshman Drew Campbell jumped into a fifth place tie in the high jump, achieving a height of 1.84 meters.
• Freshman Jardyan Mitchem cleared 3.98 meters for sixth place in pole vault.
• D'Anthony Dorsey led the Tiger throwing squad with a third place finish in shot put, throwing for 14.49 meters.
• Jonathon Seay threw 13.42 meter in shot put, good for eighth.
• Dorsey also scored third in the hammer throw, getting a distance of 47.19 meters.

QUOTE

Coach Paris Hilliard: "This trip was great for our team in many facets. It was an opportunity for our team to bond and become closer. This meet also provided tremendous competition, with all 3 divisions being represented. The team competed well and I believe this trip has set the tone for the remainder of the season."

UP NEXT

The Tigers will continue on to Danville, Kentucky to compete in the Centre Invitational, hosted by Centre College on Saturday, April 1.