Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Hillsdale Relays
Middle Distance Runners Shine at Hillsdale Relays
4/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 29, 2006
HILLSDALE, Mich. - Central Michigan University sophomore Jenaie Edwards sparkled on the track, leading a strong showing by the middle distance runners for the women's track team at the Hillsdale Relays this weekend. Edwards won the 400m and anchored the winning 4x400m relay squad and second-place 4x800m relay team in the finest effort of her Chippewa career. She led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 400m with teammates Leslie Johnson and Najah Floyd.
"Jenaie ran a really strong anchor leg on the 4x800m team yesterday, and that really seemed to set the tone for her for the rest of the competition," CMU head coach Karen Lutzke said. "It's the best meet she's had across all events since she's been here, and I'm really pleased with the way she competed this weekend."
Edwards' time of 54.30 was a personal best, and was an NCAA regional qualifying mark, assuring her a trip to the Mideast Regional at the University of Tennessee May 26-27. Johnson ran 55.69 to finish second, with Floyd just behind in 56.13. Those three, along with Lisa Krueger, combined to win the 4x400m relay to end the day, running 3:46.41 to win by almost three seconds over the second-place team from Calvin College (3:49.38).
"Our runners in the 400m and 800m and the two relays were very successful at this meet," Lutzke said. "I'm really pleased that they had that kind of success this weekend."
Other noteworthy finishes for CMU at the two-day meet included: Tomea Peebles with a second-place finish in the triple jump, leaping 39-1 1/4; Mary Raney taking third in the shot put with a mark of 46-10 1/4; Johnson (24.96) and Floyd (25.08) placing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 200m; the 4x100m relay team of Johnson, Tempestt Stanford, Floyd and Stephanie Staubus finishing third (47.66); and freshman Allison Jakubowski taking sixth in the javelin with a personal best of 122-4, almost five feet better than her previous PR.
"Overall, I felt that this was a very good meet for us," Lutzke said. "It was a dress rehearsal of sorts for the Mid-American Conference Championships meet because it stretched over two days and we had several athletes competing in multiple events, which we'll do at the conference meet. Our goal is to be peaking going into that meet, and I feel that we're making great progress towards that goal."
Also on Saturday, senior Tamera Thomas competed in an Invitational 100m hurdles race at the prestigious Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. Thomas finished fifth with a time of 13.62 in conditions that were less than ideal - rain and running into a rather significant headwind. Defending race champion LoLo Jones, an 11-time All-American at LSU from 2001-04, won the race in 12.95 seconds.
"Tamera had the chance to compete against some world-class athletes and challenge herself against the best in her sport, and that can do nothing but help her as she prepares for the MAC meet and the NCAA regionals," Lutzke said.
CMU is in action for one final tune-up before the MAC Championships when it competes at the Toledo Rocket Open next Friday and Saturday, May 5-6, in Toledo, Ohio at the University of Toledo Track. The same complex will host the MAC meet the following weekend.
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