Bulldogs Race For Final Time In Last Chance Meets To Qualify For D2 Championships

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and field squads competed again as the Bulldogs took part in three different "Last Chance" meets this week in order to add qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The Bulldogs' Cody Stilwell competed on Tuesday (May 7) in the men's hammer throw at the Grand Valley State Last Chance meet in Allendale, earning runner-up honors with a toss of 58.75 meters, which again reached the D2 National Provisional qualifying mark.

Stilwell was also in action on Thursday (May 9) at the Hillsdale Last Chance Classic competition and finished fifth overall in the hammer with a throw of 59.73 meters to again top the national qualifying standard.

FSU's Briana Copley placed sixth overall in the shot put (43-1) at Hillsdale. Meanwhile, Emma Stephayn took ninth place in the women's hammer throw (42.32m) with Copley 12th (34.35m) in the event. Copley also finished sixth in the discus (40.20m) with Stephayn eighth (36.91m) overall.

Three more Bulldog student-athletes were also in action on Thursday at the Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central College in Naperville, Ill.

Bulldog senior Damien Halverson wound up 21st overall in the men's 5,000 meters at the Dr. Keeler Invitational with a time of 14:59.25 overall. Fellow senior Zach Mckenzie competed in the same race and placed 71st in a large field at 15:59.32.

Finally, senior runner Katie Etelamaki of the women's squad raced in the 10,000 meters and finished first overall while clocking 35:43.80 on Thursday night. Her performance also topped the NCAA Division II National Provisional qualifying standard and was the third-best all-time effort in school history.

The 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships will take place May 23-25 in Kingsville, Texas. The official meet entries will be announced early this coming week.