Track Teams Compete In California & At GVSU

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and field squads continued their 2012 campaigns with selected student-athletes taking part in different events over the course of the weekend (April 19-21).

The Bulldogs sent selected competitors to the prestigious 54th annual running of the Mt. Sac Relays held at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California.  The meet opened on Thursday and ran thru Saturday.

FSU Junior Anna Rudd took second place in the 10,000-meter run open division (34:51.89) at the Mt. Sac Relays on Thursday night.  Meanwhile, senior Tina Muir placed seventh overall in the elite division of the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:59.67. Sophomore Samantha Johnson also came in 41st overall in the 1,500 meters (4:27.17).

On Friday, FSU's Zoey Hohmann came in 15th in the 400 meters (57.14) and was 34th in the 200 meters (25.37) as FSU competed at the fourth annual Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific College in Azusa, Calif. Ryan Chute came in 36th overall in the 1,500 meters (3:56.66) on the men's side in the meet that featured 1,300 participants.

Selected members also took part in the Beach Invite hosted by Long Beach State at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., on Saturday.  The meet featured more than 3,400 athletes and spectators.  Hohmann captured 49th place in the 400 meters (57.87) while junior Shelby Janutol came in 61st in the 1,500 meters (4:44.99). On the men's side, Chute was 54th overall in the 1,500 meters (3:56.96).

Other Bulldog competitors took part in the Al Owens Classic hosted by Grand Valley State University on Friday and Saturday at the new GVSU Track & Field/Lacrosse Stadium in Allendale.  An announced crowd of 3,526 fans including athletes were on hand for the event.

FSU's Jessica Pilling captured fifth place in the hammer throw (53.17) at the GVSU meet while reaching a NCAA-II National Provisional Qualification mark. Meanwhile, Briana Raasio placed third in the javelin (36.64) with Christa Cwiek coming in eighth overall in the same event (29.80).

Justin Price was seventh in the 400 meters (49.49) in leading the Bulldog men at GVSU.

FSU is tentatively slated to have student-athletes competing this week at both the Hillsdale "Gina Relays" all day on Saturday (April 27) in addition to the Ashland Invitational on Friday and Saturday (April 27-28).