IUP Results at Akron Open
State Farm Shell Games Results

Nicole Blaesser won the 5000 meters at the Akron Open and Ceasar Westbrook took the triple jump at the State Farm Shell Games hosted by West Virginia University to highlight the IUP track and field team’s performance on Saturday.

Blaesser posted a time of 17:11.63 to move into the top five in the nation in the 5000.  She finished more than 19 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.  Westbrook provisionally qualified for nationals in the triple jump with a distance of 47 feet, 11 inches, putting him in the top 10 in the country.  He was also second in the long jump with a mark of 22’5”.

Sean Strauman joined Blaesser at the Akron meet and finished third in the 800 with a time of 1:52.60.  Strauman began the week ranked first on the Division II level in the event.

Several other IUP athletes turned in top finishes at Shell Games.  On the women’s side, Maureen Newell was second in the 800 (2:25) and fourth in the mile (5:19), and Gretchen Colwell was second in the weight throw (50’7”).  Erica Hoffman (10:48) and Laura Blaesser (10:51) were third and fourth, respectively, in the 3000.

In the men’s competition, Troy Litten was second in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 15’0”.  Jorge Medina was third in the 3000 and first among college runners with a time of 8:45, one spot ahead of Eric Kruttschnitt, who was fourth in 8:47.

Both IUP teams compete at the Cornell Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y., next Saturday.

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