Big Night For Ferris State Track And Field Teams At SVSU Tune-Up Event

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's indoor track and field squads had an impressive performance on Friday (Feb. 17) night as the Bulldogs took part in the Saginaw Valley State Tune-Up Meet in University Center.

In FSU's final competition prior to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships, Ferris State combined for 33 top-eight finishes in the event held inside the SVSU Fieldhouse.

The effort for FSU included four first-place finishes, five runner-up performances along with a school record and NCAA national qualifying mark.

The Bulldogs' Donis Harris placed second overall in the mile run (4:06.89) and set a new school all-time record in the event while meeting the NCAA Division II National Provisional Qualifying performance. The previous school record in the mile of 4:11.43 was set by Ryan Chute in 2013.

FSU's Taariik Brett won the 60 meters (6.89) with Ralph Donaldson eighth (7.12).

Josiah Flora came in third in the 200 meters (23.30) while Noah Jones was eighth (23.75) and Andrew Shafley ninth (23.91). Meanwhile, Tyrese Beedle took fourth place in the 400 meters (53.80), Mason Molek was eighth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.56) and Ethan Hamilton placed 11th in the 800 meters (1:59.76) with Jackson Helmer 10th in the mile (4:26.11).

The Bulldogs also had a strong contingent in the 3,000 meters with five runners finishing among the top eight overall. Dan Hardesty was third (8:44.13), Noah Griffith fourth (8:46.31), Brandon Wirth fifth (8:51.31), Brendan Cairney seventh (8:52.53) and Casey Bouman eighth (8:53.53).

FSU's David Duvall was third in the long jump (6.75m), Flora came in third in the triple jump (11.58m) and Bryce George placed fifth in the shot put (14.99m) with Kyle Drouillard fifth in the weight throw (15.32m).

FSU's 4x400-meter relay team of Beedle, Hamilton, Lucas Vandam and Flora placed second (3:36.10).

On the women's side, Ferris State's Danae Feldpausch won the 800 meters (2:14.81) in a personal-best time. Daisy Englund came in fifth in the same race (2:21.33).

The Bulldogs' Whitney Farrell claimed the 3,000 meters (10:20.71) while Sydney Kubiak was second (10:21.00), Hanna Brock third (10:22.55) and Melanea Strauss sixth (10:35.35). Emily Plouff placed 11th (11:03.80) in the race followed by Claudia Baryo in 12th place (11:06.92), Kaylee Huey 13th (11:08.51) and Becci Castillo 14th (11:10.62).

The Bulldogs' Abigail Winkle was the runner-up in the 400 meters (59.12) while Kayla Muth was 11th in the 200 meters (29.60) and Makayla Roberts 11th in the 400 meters (1:03.26).

FSU had three women's runners place in the top seven in the mile as Kaylee Huey came in third (5:23.89), Becci Castillo was fifth (5:26.48) and Jessica Durkee seventh (5:30.20).

Ferris State's Claudia Wilkinson won the high jump (1.58m). Emma Stephayn was the runner-up in the weight throw (15.72m). Rebecca Marvin took sixth place in the shot put (11.31m) and Eva Watkins was 11th (9.90m). Marvin was also eighth in the weight throw (13.15m) and Watkins was ninth (12.11m).

Ferris State's quartet of Winkle, Englund, Roberts and Feldpausch placed third overall in the women's 4x400-meter relay (4:14.74).

The GLIAC Championships will take place back in University Center on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25-26.