Women's Track & Field | April 09, 2017
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Western Michigan track and field team had some of its fastest times of the season as it wrapped up the Crimson Tide Invitational at Sam Bailey Track Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama on Saturday evening.
Junior sprinter Ayiana Gaines had the top performance on the day for the Broncos, taking first place in the 400-meter dash. Gaines ran a season-best time of 53.67 seconds to win the race and set a meet record in the event.
"I was really impressed with the way Ayiana ran today," said head coach Kelly Lycan. "At times she gives up too big of a lead early on, but today she didn't do that. No one can close a race like she can and if she keeps within the leaders in the first 200 meters, I think she can run some fast times."
Gaines was also a big part of WMU running the Mid-American Conference's fastest time this season at 3:39.72. Sarita Dotson ran the lead-off leg before handing the baton to Lindsey Hufnagel. Hufnagel kept the Broncos in the race and passed it off to Jordan Anderson. Anderson kept WMU in fourth place before Gaines closed out the race and ran a 52.9 second split to take second behind Alabama. All four runners ran sub-55 second splits in the race.
In the 200-meter dash, Dotson ran her fastest time of the year to take eighth place with a mark of 24.18 seconds. Freshman Madison Meredith and Davonne Bolden each ran their season-best times with Meredith at 25.18 and Bolden at 25.32. Meredith also broke 12 seconds for the first time this season in the 100-meter dash. She ran 11.99 to take eighth overall.
Western Michigan also performed well in the middle-distance races. In the 800-meter run both Sarah Anderson and Jordan Anderson had personal-best times. Sarah finished fourth overall and second collegiately after running a time of 2:09.16. Jordan took eighth overall and sixth collegiately with a time of 2:10.30. Freshman Holly Blowers also ran her season's best time of 2:14.57.
Claire Gilbert returned to action, after a lengthy injury recovery, to compete in the 1,5000-meter run. Gilbert ran a time of 4:42.14. Sarah Anderson had a quick turnaround from the 800 and ran a time of 4:42.94.
Prior to helping the 4x400 squad, Hufnagel competed in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles. In the 100 she ran a time of 14.36 despite hitting a few hurdles. In the 400 she broke 60 seconds for the first time in her career at 59.41, taking third overall and second collegiately. Freshman Erin Dowd had a personal-best time of 1:02.97, while Allison Hufagel also had a new career-best with a time of 1:04.66.
Senior Amy Littlefield ran a new personal-best time in the steeple chase at 11:10.50, taking fourth overall.
Freshman Gabrielle Collins had the best performance in the field events, taking eighth in the long jump with a season-best distance of 18' 10.75".
"We were just very competitive on the track today," Lycan added. "There were no signs of being intimidated by these big SEC schools. Alabama is one of the best teams in the country and we stuck our noses in there and competed. That's all I can ask for. It was definitely a good meet."
Western Michigan heads to Ball State next weekend.
