Bulldogs Have Strong Performances in Day One at 2009 New Balance Big South Championship Meet
April 17, 2009 | Track & Field
Radford, Va.– Day one at the 2009 New Balance Big South Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the Gardner-Webb men's and women's track and field teams was highlighted by four top-five finishes, including redshirt-freshman Christoph Hutschalik winning the men's hammer throw event with an NCAA qualifying throw of 58.70 meters (192'7").
Hutschalik posted Gardner-Webb's first outdoor championship as a Big South member on Friday afternoon and in the process qualified for the NCAA Regionals with a school record throw of 58.70 meters (192'7").
GWU's Jake Didion picked up a fourth-place finish in the men's long jump, as the senior turned in a leap of 6.96 meters. Sophomore Johnathan Rucker finished in the top-15 in the event, placing 14th-place overall with a jump of 6.14 meters.
Fellow sophomore Evan Brusich, the lone Bulldog performer competing in the men's decathlon, had a number of strong finishes on Friday, finishing second-place in the 400 meter dash (48.85) and in the 100 meter dash (11.42). Brusich also took fifth-place in the high jump (1.79 meters) and in the long jump (6.07 meters).
On the men's side, the Bulldogs are in a three-way tie for fourth-place in the team standings, as Gardner-Webb scored 15 points in day one on Friday. The Bulldogs are behind Liberty, who is in first-place with 45 points, Coastal Carolina who is in second-place with 30 points and Radford with 16 points.
For the women, the Bulldogs had two top-five finishes on Friday, as senior Sarah Wyszynski took second-place in the javelin throw with a throw of 37.71 meters, finishing only two places ahead of freshman Ann Marie Howell, who took fourth-place with a toss of 36.28 meters.
Fellow freshman Caroline Arledge added a top-10 finish in the javelin throw event, with a heave of 35.41 meters.
Also picking up top-10 finishes on Friday was sophomore Laura Scott and senior Carrie Minard finishing sixth and seventh-place respectively in the women's 10,000 meter run. Scott finished sixth with a time of 40:33.88, just ahead of Minard who crossed the finish line in a time of 40:42.99. Fellow senior Caryn Daane took eighth-place in the women's hammer throw with a launch of 42.18 meters.
In the women's heptathlon events, both senior Victoria Argus and junior Kayla Morgan had great showings on Friday. Argus took second-place in both the 100 meter hurdles (14.72) and the shot put (10.64 meters), as well as crossing the finish line in fourth in the 200 meter dash (26.70). Morgan took second-place in the 200 meter dash (26.40) and finished in fifth-place in the shot put (9.72 meters), the 100 meter hurdles (14.97 meters) and in the high jump (1.47 meters).
The Bulldog women are in third-place overall with 21 points after day one. Coastal Carolina leads the way with 56 points, while Radford is in second with 27 points.
Day two of the 2009 New Balance Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships will start on Friday, April 17 at 11 a.m.
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| Day One - Results |
