Ferris State Track & Field Opens Outdoor Action With Four National Qualifiers

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's track and field teams opened outdoor action over the weekend in North Carolina as the Bulldogs took part in one of the country's biggest events, the Raleigh Relays, in Raleigh, N.C.

Ferris State sent a limited number of student-athletes to the large meet hosted by North Carolina State University and came back with four national provisional qualifiers after weekend competition in the two-day meet.

The field included competitors from all levels of competition, including NCAA Division I and II among others.

Senior Anna Rudd competed in section A of the 10,000 meters and came in 16th overall (35:41.64) while surpassing the national provisional qualification standard on the women's side.

Senior Alyssa Osika captured 12th place in the 800 meters (2:13.29) and also topped the national provisional-qualifying time.

Junior Breeann Ovokaitys placed third overall in the 1,500 meters (4:37.24) with Osika coming in sixth (4:39.52) in the same race. 

Sophomore Kristie LeSage placed seventh in section B of the 10,000 meters (38:44.94). Meanwhile, senior Jordan Best took 12th place section E of the 5,000 meters (18:12.62).

Zoey Hohmann took 50th overall in the 400-meter dash (57.64). Freshman Samantha Humphrey came in 58th overall in the 1,500 meters (4:50.64).

FSU was 20th in the 4x800-relay as the squad of Breeann Ovokaitys, Hohmann, Shea Van Klompenberg and Ashley Hamilton clocked 9:33.58. Humphrey and Best teamed up with Ovokaitys and Hamilton to record a eight-place performance in the 4x1500-meter event (19:39.56).

The Bulldogs also placed 33rd overall in the women's 4x100-meter relay (50.00).

Senior David Silversmith recorded a 33rd place effort (30:28.44) in the highly-competitive section A of the men's 10,000 meters. Meanwhile, senior Brandon Cushman earned runner-up honors in section B of the same event with a clocking of 30:42.45. Both topped the national-provisional qualifying mark.

Sophomore Lucas Copi placed 11th overall in section E of the men's 5,000 meters (15:09.80) and junior Andrew Harper came in 20th overall (15:19.56) in the same race.

The Bulldog men also came in 17th overall in the 4x800-relay (7:58.27), which included LaRowe, Bladecki, freshman Logan Hammer and King. The quartet of King, Harper, Copi and Hammer finished 10th in the 4x1500-meter race (16:52.58).

Senior Alex Bladecki finished 29th in the men's 1,500 meters (4:00.47) with Connor LaRowe coming in 37th (4:02.58) and Bill King 38th (4:02.77), respectively.

The Bulldogs' other scheduled weekend action at the Grand Rapids Open was cancelled.
Ferris State will compete on Friday and Saturday (April 4-5) in the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing.