This past weekend, the Michigan track and field team took on a plethora of Big Ten and out-of-conference competition at the non-scoring Crossroads of America Invitational. But even with no first place to gun for, both the men and women delivered, taking home a few new records and personal bests across the board.
Just like the weeks past, the women’s sprint group came to perform. After trailing first by 0.2 seconds with a qualifying time of 7.38 seconds in the 60-meter hurdle prelims, graduate Aasia Laurencin had some ground to make up. And make it up she did. With a 7.14-second race in the finals, she seized first-place by 0.07 seconds
In the 200-meter, senior Savannah Sutherland took first for the second time this season. But this time she did so by shattering the program record with a 23.26-second race. Sophomore Amare Harlan and freshman Payton Smith also raced well in the 200, earning fourth and sixth out of 47, respectively. Even without a record-breaking run, Sutherland continued her dominance into the 400-meter by taking first with a 52.03-second race. Smith was again close on her tail, recording a third-place finish with 54.29-second run.
“These types of forces are really a testament so early in the season, it’s that kind of drive, that competitiveness, that will to win, some of those intangible factors,” Michigan coach Kevin Sulliva said. “That kind of uber-competitiveness … you want people to relish opportunities to compete and perform at a high level when they get those opportunities.”
In the 4×400-meter relay, the combination of sophomore Sideny Green, Harlan, Smith and Sutherland proved to be a potent group. After Green, Harlan and Smith had raced, Sutherland was left with a three-second deficit to make up. And after a tremendous 50.68 second 400, Sutherland closed the gap, pushing the Wolverines to first by 0.36 seconds over UCLA.
While the young talent showed promise in the sprints, the pair of junior Rylee Tolson and graduate Mary Caroline Heinen held it down for the women’s distance squad. Both Tolson and Heinen ran personal bests — 9:28.58 and 9:31.02 respectively — earning them the top-two spots.
The men’s distance also earned their own accolades. Headed by sophomore Camden Law, Michigan dominated in the 800-meter. Along with Law earning first with a 1:49.04, four other Wolverine runners had top-seven finishes. In the men’s mile, sophomore Trent McFarland convincingly took first with his second sub-four minute mile of the year. Sophomore Aiden Sullivan also set a new personal record at 4:06.92, earning him a third-place finish. With this continued dominance, Michigan is cementing itself as a powerhouse in the men’s middle distance and mile categories.
“Cam in particular was really good this weekend, he was super aggressive which you need to be to run the 800,” Sullivan said. “I think the other guys are right there, they’re just a little bit more passive in their race. Once we get those guys firing a little bit earlier in the race, we should have more guys compete with Cam.”
In the field events, sophomore Elizabeth Tapper showed up, setting a new shot put program record for the third week in a row with her first throw of the day. However, with a lackluster second throw and a foul on each of her next four attempts, Tapper was only able to earn third, falling short by 0.44 meters.
Long jumpers Harlan and graduate John McNeil also performed well in their respective men’s and women’s performances. After a 6.04-meter jump, Harlan earned herself fourth place. In his second-to-last attempt, McNeil took fourth after leaping 6.04 meters.
The Wolverines are preparing for a dominant season. Led by Sutherland and Tapper on the women’s side and Law and McFarland on the men’s side, the women’s sprint group, men’s middle distance and women’s throwing group is shaping up to be Michigan’s core identity.
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