ANDERSON, S.C. – A week after posting post 13 top-10 finishes and assaulting the school record books at the Clemson Invitational, the Anderson University men's and women's track and field teams will continue their indoor seasons by competing at the Wake Forest Invitational at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
More than 30 schools will be represented on Saturday and will mark AU's second appearance at the JDL Fast Track, after the Trojans competed at the JDL College Kick-off Classic in early December.
Senior Olivia Gardner claimed sixth in the women's 3,000 meter run at the Clemson Invitational in a time of 10:37.92, which was less than eight seconds behind her own second-best time in school history. Junior Haylee Love posted the fifth-best time in the AU record books by finishing ninth in a time of 10:56.23, with sophomore Martha Coleman (10:58.48) notching the sixth-fastest time in program history.
Gardner finished 10th in the women's mile run with the fourth-fastest time in school history (5:18.91), while senior Mia Swierzs (20:10.17) and junior Hannah Sanford (20:13.98) claimed the ninth and 10th fastest times in school history in the women's 5,000 meter run.
Sophomore JoLyn Copeland finished 13th in the women's weight throw with a toss of 12.25 meters, which marked the ninth-furthest distance in school history and also finished 13th in the shot put with a distance of 9.59 meters, which was the sixth-best toss ever at AU.
Freshman Jasmine Barmore's time of 27.46 in the 200 meter dash was the seventh-fastest time in school history, while sophomore Madison Seay equaled the 10th-best time by claiming 20th place in a time of 28.04.
Barmore also etched her name in the AU record books by crossing the finish line in the 400 meter dash in a time of 1:02.99, which was the fifth-fastest time in program history, with Seay posting a time of 1:03.11 (sixth-fastest) and freshman Emilee Edwards claiming the seventh-best time in a time of 1:03.81. Seay also garnered the third-fastest time (10.03) in AU annals with a 21st-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles.
Freshman Morgan Bridges topped the Trojan contingent in the 800 meter run by finishing 24th in a time of 2:27.23, which was the fifth-fastest mark in program history and the women's 4x400 relay team, consisting of Seay, Bridges, Edwards and Bari Robinson captured the fourth-best time in school history.
On the men's side, junior Christopher Burton set a new indoor school record in the men's 200 meter dash in a time of 21.92, with junior Caleb Stephenson claiming the fourth-best time in AU history with a time of 22.71 in the event. Freshman Jordan Anderson (23.07) posted the seventh-best time in the AU record books and sophomore Brandon Kauer (23.30) notched the eighth-fastest
time in school history.
Stephenson broke his own school in the 400 meter dash with a time of 50.18, with fellow junior Rashod Monts posting the third-fastest time (50.85) in school history. Kauer claimed the eighth-fastest time in the AU record books in a time of 54.13. Senior Ben Boerma finished sixth in the men's mile run by crossing the finish line in a time of 4:27.01, which marked the fourth-fastest time in AU history.
Freshman Brooks Hovis claimed sixth in the men's 5,000 meter run in a time of 16:52.00, which was the 10th-fastest time in the AU record books, with Monts, Burton, Stephenson and Kauer teaming up to finish ninth in the 4x400 meter relay in a time of 3:29.85, marking the second-fastest time in school history.
Senior Eric Hoover finished eighth in the triple jump with a distance of 12.86 meters, which places him fourth all-time. Junior Anthony Aleruchi landed fifth in the school record books after finished ninth in the weight throw with a toss of 12.81 meters. Aleruchi claimed 18th in the shot put with a toss of 11.50 meters, which was good enough for seventh all-time, while freshman Chandler Johnson's toss of 10.42 meters placed him 10th in the Black and Gold record books.
Events begin at 9:30 a.m. with the 60m hurdles and the shot put and will conclude at 6:15 p.m.
