EAST LANSING, MICH. – MSU Track and Field student-athletes will compete between two meets taking place on Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday the 27th at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invite in Louisville, Ky. and the Michigan Invite in Ann Arbor, Mich..
Note: No Spartans will be competing in events at the Michigan Invite in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 26
The highly competitive PNC Lenny Lyles Invite will feature Michigan State sprinters, jumpers and a season debut of the Pentathlon and Heptathlon both Friday and Saturday while the distance squad will be in action Saturday at the Michigan Invite, with the throwers taking the weekend off from competition.
Simmons-Harvey Invite – Jan. 20, 2024 | Ann Arbor, Mich.
One meet, 14 PRs
At the first scored meet of the season last time out at the Simmons-Harvey Invite on Jan. 20, 14 Spartans from sprints and distance to jumps and throws recorded personal best times while the men finished third with 127.5 points as the women placed fourth with 59 points.
One win, seven second place finishes
MSU athletes recorded seven second-place finishes while junior Logan Allen was the lone Spartan event-winner at the Simmons-Harvey Invite, topping the 60m hurdles in 8.02.
Spartans were runners-up in each of the jumps events on the day: Gr. Heath Baldwin in the men's long jump, Brady Schultz in the men's high jump and Natalie Blake cleared 4.00m in the pole vault for the first time, missing out on first only to a technicality.
The distance squad made it's first impression of the season on both the men's and women's side with their own second place finishes in the mile. Junior Kate-Stewart Barnett finished only a second behind the mile race winner while senior Andrew Nolan also claimed a silver behind a 4:03.26 PR.
Senior Owen Huard was second in the 3,000m race, his 8:04.61 time a personal best and 24th fastest in the nation this season. Sophomore Tim Cherry also blitzed to second in the 800m.
Wolverine Invite – Jan. 13, 2024 | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Top of the morning
At the Wolverine Invite in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, Spartans placed first in both the first track and field events of the day.
To get things started, junior Elle Adrian was crowned weight throw winner with a 20.22m toss. In the 60m hurdles graduate senior Heath Baldwin saved his best sprint for the finals, besting the competition at 7.96, a PR.
Dashing through the snow
A winter storm with several inches of snow prior to the Wolverine Invite forced multiple teams to withdraw from competing at the meet. For MSU however, the sprinters traveled especially well, placing on the podium and racking up personal best times on numerous occasions.
In addition to Baldwin, also victorious during the morning events was sophomore Lexy Wilson, who finished the 400m sprint in 56.48. On the men's side, sophomore Alex Yon finished second with a 49.55 400 time. Sophomore Ian Thompson also had a career-day, placing second in the 60m dash with a PR of 6.78.
Competing for pole (vault) position
Spartans shined and landed finalists in both the men's and women's pole vault events. In fact, the last two women standing were Michigan State sophomores Natalie Blake and Sophia Mettes. Both cleared 3.95m but failed the next height, ceding Blake the winner as she completed previous feat in less attempts.
On the men's side, Adam Blue matched his PR of 4.90m despite using a shortened approach. The Potterville, Mich. native earned second in the event, only behind Olympian Steven Bastien who, competing unattached, only beat Blue as he cleared 4.90m in less attempts than the sophomore.
GVSU Holiday Open – Dec. 8, 2023 | Allendale, Mich.
Freshman sets school record in first career try
In her first career try, Jessica Stieb set an indoor shot put school record with a 16.60m throw. The record previously stood at 16.15m, set by Katelyn Daniels in 2018. The Loup City, Nebraska native wound up finishing second in the event at the GVSU Holiday Open on Dec. 8.
Several Spartans shine in debuts
Also having a standout performance from the throws squad was junior Elle Adrian, who topped the 20-pound weight throw event by nearly a whole meter with a 20.74m mark.
Highlighting the sprint events for the Spartans, sophomore Lexy Wilson broke her 400m PR with a blitzing time of 56.38 to finish second, while freshman Liz Anderson joined her on the podium in her collegiate debut at 57 seconds flat.
Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener – Dec. 2, 2023 | Boston, Mass.
Sage's win highlights season opener
Four Track and Field student-athletes opened the season at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener alongside national competition on Dec. 2 on what is regarded by many as the fastest track in the world, highlighted by an overall 400m win by junior Noah Sage.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Note: No Spartans will be competing in events at the Michigan Invite in Ann Arbor on Friday, Jan. 26
The highly competitive PNC Lenny Lyles Invite will feature Michigan State sprinters, jumpers and a season debut of the Pentathlon and Heptathlon both Friday and Saturday while the distance squad will be in action Saturday at the Michigan Invite, with the throwers taking the weekend off from competition.
Simmons-Harvey Invite – Jan. 20, 2024 | Ann Arbor, Mich.
One meet, 14 PRs
At the first scored meet of the season last time out at the Simmons-Harvey Invite on Jan. 20, 14 Spartans from sprints and distance to jumps and throws recorded personal best times while the men finished third with 127.5 points as the women placed fourth with 59 points.
One win, seven second place finishes
MSU athletes recorded seven second-place finishes while junior Logan Allen was the lone Spartan event-winner at the Simmons-Harvey Invite, topping the 60m hurdles in 8.02.
Spartans were runners-up in each of the jumps events on the day: Gr. Heath Baldwin in the men's long jump, Brady Schultz in the men's high jump and Natalie Blake cleared 4.00m in the pole vault for the first time, missing out on first only to a technicality.
The distance squad made it's first impression of the season on both the men's and women's side with their own second place finishes in the mile. Junior Kate-Stewart Barnett finished only a second behind the mile race winner while senior Andrew Nolan also claimed a silver behind a 4:03.26 PR.
Senior Owen Huard was second in the 3,000m race, his 8:04.61 time a personal best and 24th fastest in the nation this season. Sophomore Tim Cherry also blitzed to second in the 800m.
Wolverine Invite – Jan. 13, 2024 | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Top of the morning
At the Wolverine Invite in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, Spartans placed first in both the first track and field events of the day.
To get things started, junior Elle Adrian was crowned weight throw winner with a 20.22m toss. In the 60m hurdles graduate senior Heath Baldwin saved his best sprint for the finals, besting the competition at 7.96, a PR.
Dashing through the snow
A winter storm with several inches of snow prior to the Wolverine Invite forced multiple teams to withdraw from competing at the meet. For MSU however, the sprinters traveled especially well, placing on the podium and racking up personal best times on numerous occasions.
In addition to Baldwin, also victorious during the morning events was sophomore Lexy Wilson, who finished the 400m sprint in 56.48. On the men's side, sophomore Alex Yon finished second with a 49.55 400 time. Sophomore Ian Thompson also had a career-day, placing second in the 60m dash with a PR of 6.78.
Competing for pole (vault) position
Spartans shined and landed finalists in both the men's and women's pole vault events. In fact, the last two women standing were Michigan State sophomores Natalie Blake and Sophia Mettes. Both cleared 3.95m but failed the next height, ceding Blake the winner as she completed previous feat in less attempts.
On the men's side, Adam Blue matched his PR of 4.90m despite using a shortened approach. The Potterville, Mich. native earned second in the event, only behind Olympian Steven Bastien who, competing unattached, only beat Blue as he cleared 4.90m in less attempts than the sophomore.
GVSU Holiday Open – Dec. 8, 2023 | Allendale, Mich.
Freshman sets school record in first career try
In her first career try, Jessica Stieb set an indoor shot put school record with a 16.60m throw. The record previously stood at 16.15m, set by Katelyn Daniels in 2018. The Loup City, Nebraska native wound up finishing second in the event at the GVSU Holiday Open on Dec. 8.
Several Spartans shine in debuts
Also having a standout performance from the throws squad was junior Elle Adrian, who topped the 20-pound weight throw event by nearly a whole meter with a 20.74m mark.
Highlighting the sprint events for the Spartans, sophomore Lexy Wilson broke her 400m PR with a blitzing time of 56.38 to finish second, while freshman Liz Anderson joined her on the podium in her collegiate debut at 57 seconds flat.
Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener – Dec. 2, 2023 | Boston, Mass.
Sage's win highlights season opener
Four Track and Field student-athletes opened the season at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener alongside national competition on Dec. 2 on what is regarded by many as the fastest track in the world, highlighted by an overall 400m win by junior Noah Sage.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
