BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (2/13/16) – Several student-athletes from the Arkansas State University track and field program competed at the Samford Open inside the Birmingham CrossPlex this weekend in final preparations for the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.
Junior Roelf Pienaar won the triple jump with a leap of 15.44m (50-08.00) and posted a second place finish in long jump with a leap of 7.61m (24-11.75). Freshman Tiaan Steenkamp finished fourth in the high jump, clearing 2.10m (6-10.75).
Senior Wil Noriss won the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:31.47. The personal-best for Norris moves him up the all-time list in the event to sixth from ninth. Senior Drew Mueller was fourth in that race, posting a personal-best of 8:34.22, the 10th-best time in program history.
"We didn't take a full team this weekend so we used this last meet as a tune up for those who needed one more competition before the conference meet," A-State head track and field coach Jim Patchell said. "We got several things accomplished and we feel very positive about the readiness of our team."
Sophomore Calea Carr posted a personal-best in the weight throw with a launch of 17.17m (56-04.00). She finished sixth in the competition and the throw ranks as the fourth-best in program history. Junior Erin Farmer finished fifth in the competition, with a mark of 17.35m (56-11.25). Farmer finished second (15.04m/49-04.25) and Carr was fourth (13.85m/45-05.25) in the shot put.
Senior Abbey Dixon ran a personal-best in the mile run, finishing fifth with a time of 5:08.47. The time ranks as the seventh-fastest in program history. Freshman Kyandra Chandler finished eighth with a time of 5:11.91 to rank 10th in program history. In the 800-meter run, freshman Andrea Perez finished ninth with a time of 2:16.25, the seventh-fastest time in program history.
Sophomore Trevene Cowan posted a personal-best for the second-straight week. She ran the 60-meter hurdles in 8.81 seconds, the seventh-fastest time in program history. In the men's 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Jonah Wiley ran against world-class athletes Jason Richardson and Ronnie Ash and finished eighth with a time of 8.57 seconds.
A-State's next meet is the 2016 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb. 23-24 )at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
