OXFORD, Ohio -- The Western Michigan track and field team battled several of the Mid-American Conference's top teams as well as bad weather to take third place at the Miami Invitational on Saturday night with
Ashley Hunault breaking the school record in the triple jump.
Hunault jumped a record distance of 40 feet, 2.75 inches to surpass Joy Eloms' previous record of 39 feet, 8.50 and take second place in the event. Hunault also took first place in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet, 6.25 inches and took fourth in the 100m dash with a time of 12.06.
"Ashley became the first Bronco in program history to jump 20 feet in the outdoor long jump last year and it's only fitting that she is the first to jump 40 feet in the outdoor triple jump," said head coach
Kelly Lycan. "With her school records and the MAC titles to back it up I think she is definitely the best jumper in school history."
The Broncos combined for 85 points to finish behind Cincinnati with 105 and champions Miami with 111. The teams had to sit through a four-hour lightning delay and the 4x400m relay was canceled due to darkness.
Jenna Matthews and Hunault were the lone title winners for WMU on the day. Matthews won the 3,000m race in the dark with a hand-time of 10:13, beating out Gretchen Brayer of Calvin by approximately one second.
Ever the all-around performer, Hunault also took fourth place in the 100m dash with a time of 12.06 seconds and helped the 4x100m relay team of
Andrea Arnold,
Iris Campbell and
Stephanie Okolo to a time of 46.63.
Campbell and
Amanda Fenton both scored in the 100m hurdles with Campbell taking fourth place with a time of 14.36 and Fenton clocking in at 14.74.
Campbell also set a new personal-best time in the 400m dash with a time of 54.32 seconds to take second place.
Leya Munwam nearly set a new personal-best with a time of 56.72 and
Andrea Arnold broke 58 seconds for the first time this season at 57.96.
Samantha Tomerlin tied a personal-best time in the 1,500m run with a time of 4:37.47. Sophomore
Rachel Whitley set a personal-best time in the 1,500 with a time of 4:35.55.
Another Bronco to set a personal-best on the day was freshman
Aisha Hodge in the 800m run. Hodge took sixth place with a time of 2:15.44.
Senior
Sarah Morris finished in second place int he discus with a distance of 156 feet, six inches.
"Overall I thought we had more good than bad today," said Lycan. "It was really good to see Ashley get going. She had big improvements in the 100 and once she gets her speed going it is really going to help her jumps."
Western Michigan heads West to California for the Mt. SAC Relays beginning on Thursday.
