FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Drake University track and field teams opened their outdoor season with 29 top-10 finishes and a series of personal bests at the Arkansas Spring Invitational, hosted by No. 3 Arkansas.
 
The Bulldogs combated cool, rainy conditions all afternoon Saturday after weather force the postponement of much of Friday's schedule. However, the weather-tested team responded well against a field that included the host, Wichita State, Oklahoma State, Missouri State, Tulsa and some of the top junior college programs in the Midwest.
 
Taryn Rolle (Nassau, The Bahamas) recorded the team's only title on the day by winning the triple jump with a leap of 39-5.75. Earlier in the day she finished sixth in the long jump with a leap of 18-3, an outdoor personal best for the junior.
 
On the track, Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) recorded a personal best in the 200 meters to finish eighth in 24.73 and also took fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.76. In the 400-meter hurdles, Victoria Coombe (Centennial, Colo.) finished sixth with a personal best of 1:03.77.
 
Demetrius Shelton (Markham, Ill.) recorded a pair of top-10 finishes for the men's team in the sprints by taking fifth in the 100 meters in 10.75 and fourth in the 200 meters in 21.45.
 
In the distance events, freshman Xavier Lechleitner (Edgar, Wis.) finished second in the un-seeded section of the 800 meters in 1:55.22 while sophomore Josh Yeager (Center Point, Iowa) was third in the seeded section of the 1,500 meters with a personal best of 3:54.57.
 
The Bulldogs continue their strong open to the outdoor season next weekend as they again face some of the nation's top team at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, March 29-31.
 
Arkansas Spring Invitational
March 24-25 – Fayetteville, Ark.
 
Drake Individual Men's Results
100 Meters
5. Caulin Graves, 10.75
5. Demetrius Shelton, 10.75
15. Aaron Chier, 11.01
19. Deonne Witherspoon, 11.09
26. Nihad Ejubovic, 11.34
 
200 Meters
4. Demetrius Shelton, 21.45
8. Caulin Graves, 21.70
19. Aaron Chier, 22.58
21. Nihad Ejubovic, 22.65
25. Deonne Witherspoon, 22.85
26. Blair Barrow, 22.95
29. Maxwell Harlan, 23.07
 
400 Meters
11. Blair Barrow, 50.21
17. Maxwell Harlan, 52.39
 
800 Meters
2. Xavier Lechleitner, 1:55.22
4. George Webb, 1:56.13
5. Cory Erickson, 1:56.79
 
1,500 Meters
3. Josh Yeager, 3:54.57    
11. Matt Cozine, 4:03.66
 
3,000 Meters
8. Kyle Brandt, 8:39.37
11. Kyle Cass, 8:44.67
 
110-Meter Hurdles
7. Dominic Lombardi, 15.06            
9. Hudson Priebe, 15.14
 
400-Meter Hurdles
3. Hudson Priebe, 53.27
4. Malik Metivier, 53.77
8. Dominic Lombardi, 55.03
11. Tyler Zak, 56.36
 
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
3. Chris Kaminski, 9:40.74
 
4x100-Meter Relay
6. Drake, 40.76
 
Pole Vault
5. Erik Olson, 14-1.25
 
Discus
11. Michael Dolan, 113-4
 
Hammer Throw
6. Michael Dolan, 147-8
 
 
Drake Individual Women's Results
100 Meters
13. Mariah Crawford, 12.57
 
200 Meters
8. Mary Young, 24.73       
17. Rai Ahmed-Green, 25.30
19. Ebele Okoye, 25.48
24. Mariah Crawford, 25.60
 
400 Meters
12. Rai Ahmed-Green, 57.37
13. Ebele Okoye, 57.39
 
800 Meters
8. Meghan Kearney, 2:19.62
9. Danielle Griesbaum, 2:20.25
13. Kaylen Rettig, 2:23.74
15. Kayla Giuliano, 2:24.85
16. Samantha Nielsen, 2:25.48
 
1,500 Meters
7. Morgan Garcia, 5:00.11
 
100-Meter Hurdles
4. Mary Young, 13.76
9. Victoria Coombe, 14.71
20. Bryce Lang, 16.93
 
400-Meter Hurdles
6. Victoria Coombe, 1:03.77           
15. Bryce Lang, 1:08.51
 
4x400-Meter Relay
6. Drake, 46.95
 
High Jump
4. Taylor Patton, 4-11
 
Long Jump
6. Taryn Rolle, 18-3
11. Brittani Griesbaum, 17-7.5
 
Triple Jump
1. Taryn Rolle, 39-5.75