Rudd Claims 5,000 Meters On First Day Of GLIAC Indoor Championships

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and field teams opened action in the 2013 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Indoor Championships on Saturday (Feb. 23) at the Kelly Family Sports Center in Allendale.

The Bulldog women's squad is currently tied for fifth place with 15 points following day one competition while the men's team did not record any team points on the first day of the meet.

Ferris State junior Anna Rudd captured the conference championship in the 5,000 meters as she was clocked in 16:42.95, which eclipsed the previous league meet record established by Lynsey Ardingo of Grand Valley State in 2010.  It was also a national provisional qualification time and she won the event by nearly 25 seconds.  Her time was a personal-best and ranks as the second-fastest event performance in school history.

Bulldog junior Jordan Best came in sixth overall to score three points in the 5,000 meters as she was timed in 17:59.78 overall.

FSU's Jessica Pilling placed seventh in the weight throw with a toss of 59-2 (18.03m), which was also a national provisional throw.

On the men's side, Ferris State's highest finisher was freshman Lucas Copi in the 5,000 meters as he placed 11th in a time of 15:18.12 with junior Andrew Harper coming in 14th at 15:27.59 overall. Freshman Austin Syrek came in 15th overall in the prelims of the men's 400 meters (51.55), but failed to advance to the finals.

Host Grand Valley State leads the team chase on both the men's and women's sides following day one competition with Ashland second overall in both fields.

The final day of competition at the GLIAC Indoor Championships will begin on Sunday at 8 a.m. (ET) with the completion of the men's heptathlon. The remainder of the running and fielding events will begin with field events at 11:30 a.m. and track events starting at 1:15 p.m. (ET) with the meet concluding around 5 p.m. (ET).