Big Day For The Bulldogs As FSU Track Posts 31 Top-10 Finishes At Hillsdale Invite

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and field teams combined for 31 top-10 finishes on a strong day at the Hillsdale Invitational held on Saturday (April 11).

The Bulldogs competed against a highly-competitive field of student-athletes from a number of collegiate institutions, including NCAA Division I members Ball State and Valparaiso along with selected student-athletes from Grand Valley State, Aquinas, Northern Michigan, Hillsdale, Cornerstone, Davenport and more.

Overall, Ferris State had two individual champions and also posted a pair of runner-up performances.

On the women's side, Bulldog senior Samantha Johnson won the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:37.82 overall. Meanwhile, senior Briana Raasio won the javelin (122-4).

Senior Breeann Ovokaitys placed third in the 1,500 meters (4:40.64) with Samantha Humphrey coming in fourth (4:45.86) in the event.

Senior Ashley Hamilton placed fourth in the 800 meters (2:18.26).

Raasio took seventh place in the discus (130-3) with freshman Maycee Robinson 12th (110-9) in the event. FSU's Rachel Long came in eighth (139-9) in the hammer throw and Raasio was 12th (124-10).

FSU was also eighth overall in the women's 4x400-meter relay as the grouping of Johnson, Ovokaitys, Humphrey and Hamilton clocked 4:07.36 in the race.

Meanwhile, the Bulldog men were led by sophomore Logan Hammer, who earned runner-up honors in the 1,500 meters (4:05.49) with senior Spencer Gerber taking third place (4:07.60). Freshman Trevor Holowaty took sixth (4:11.37) and freshman Jake Morey was eighth (4:17.81) as FSU had four individuals finish in the top eight overall.

Junior Lucas Copi placed third in the 5,000 meters (15:22.68) with freshman Hunter Nivison sixth (15:49.27) in the race. Junior Kyle Richardson also competed and finished ninth (16:16.22).

Freshman Josh Duggan placed fourth in the 200 meters (22.39) and was fifth in the 400 meters (50.54).

FSU freshman Ben Lentz took fourth place in the 800 meters (1:58.85) with freshman teammate Max Hodges right behind in fifth place (1:58.85). The Bulldogs' Connor Pilmore placed sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:18.58) and FSU's Matt Crawford wound up 10th in the 400-meter hurdles (1:02.63).

Ferris State also placed fifth in the 4x400-meter relay (3:39.39) with a pairing of Lentz, Holowaty, Pilmore and Duggan. FSU's "B" squad of Hodges, Morey, Gerber and Hammer came in sixth (3:46.64).

In the throws, FSU freshman Brett Allpow was the runner-up in the discus (145-2) with sophomore Hayden Francisco second in the javelin (167-2). 

Junior Austin Grant placed third in the hammer throw (164-8) with sophomore Ross Miller fourth (147-11) and Francisco fifth (146-2). Allpow placed sixth in the hammer (145-5).
Miller took fourth place in the shot put (47-2.50) while freshman Noah Minasola came in eighth in the discus (129-7).

The Hillsdale Invitational was held at Ken Herrick Track where the Bulldogs are slated to race a couple more times this season, including the GLIAC Championships in early May.

Ferris State is next in action on Friday and Saturday, April 17-18, as the Bulldogs compete at the Grand Valley State Classic in Allendale.