Ferris State Track & Field Opens Action At GLIAC Outdoor Championships

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's track and field squads opened action on Thursday (May 4) at the 2017 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships in Allendale. 

The Bulldogs had several impressive performances on their opening day at the annual league championships, which are being hosted by Grand Valley State at the GVSU Track and Field Stadium. All 15 conference member schools are taking part in the event, which started with multi-events on Wednesday and wraps up with finals in most events on Friday. 

The FSU men's squad tallied 14 points on Thursday and presently sits in fifth place overall while the women's squad notched 15 points and is in the middle of the pack heading into the final day of competition.

The Bulldogs were led by Racheal McDonald, who won the women's 10,000 meters in a time of 35:48.92 overall. Teammate Emily Haynes took fourth place in the race as she clocked 37:00.12.

FSU's Molly Emerick advanced to the finals of the 800 meters as she posted the sixth-fastest preliminary time with a showing of 2:15.71 on Thursday.

On the men's side, the Bulldogs captured second and third place in the javelin as Hayden Francisco was the runner-up with a throw of 175-9 and Gunnar Meyer finished third at 172-8.

The Bulldogs' Logan Hammer reached Friday's finals in the men's 1,500 meters as he turned in a time of 3:57.60, which was the seventh-fastest preliminary effort. FSU's Casey Neal also reached the finals in the event with the 12th-best showing of 4:05.52 overall. 

Cody Stillwell narrowly missed placing in the hammer throw with a toss of 191-2, which was ninth overall.

The final day of action begins on Friday (May 5) with field events at 10 a.m. (ET) and the events on the track starting at 11 a.m. (ET) in Allendale.