MIRAMAR, Fla. – Battling through intermittent showers throughout, the Nova Southeastern track and field teams went to work on the 2020 season on Saturday afternoon, opening up the year as hosts of the NSU Sharks Invitational, securing 13 first-place finishes in the process against the five-team field at the Ansin Sports Complex.
As NSU's lone official home event of the season, the Sharks also came out late in the meet to honor 10 seniors for their career accomplishments, recognizing
Zaheem Anderson,
Michelle Bauer,
Joel Lacy,
Mitch Moczygemba,
Ian Nieves,
Jared Robinson,
Matthew Taddeo,
Katie Tallman,
Shannon Towne and
Morgan Will. Also a senior for NSU,
Ellyn Willse was not in attendance.
FIELD EVENTS
The meet opened on the hammer throw and Sharks
Jaylynne Thomas and Tallman went one and two at 35.70m (117-01 ft.) and 33.80m (110-11 ft.), respectively. For Thomas, it wasn't her only top marks for the day, winning the women's shot put at 10.75m (35-03.25 ft.) and setting a new career mark by 14-1 with a second-place 32.55m (106-09 ft.) toss in the discus. Leading the men's throws,
Spencer Ochko tossed a career-long 10.52m (34-06.25 ft.) for second in the shot put, finished third in the javelin with a career-long 29.07m (95-4 ft.) and was second in the discus at 34.14m (112-00 ft.).
In the javelin,
Nadiv Galindo set a career mark of 34.74m (114-00 ft.) to win, ahead of Moczygemba. Meanwhile, for the women, rookie
Christina Adams went 28.29m (92-10 ft.) to debut with a first-place finish.
Towne made her mark to kick off her senior season, adding six inches to her career best in winning the pole vault at a height of 3.20m (10-06.00 ft.). On the men's side of the event,
Quynlan Duffy as reached a career best, winning the event at 4.10m (13-05.25 ft.), ahead of
Jordan Curby's carer best of 3.65m (11-11.75 ft.) – exceeding his previous best by 10 inches.
In the horizontal jumps, Anderson won the men's long jump with a career-long 6.95m (22-09.75 ft.), while freshman
Eileen Platten debuted with a second-place mark of 4.68m (15-04.25 ft.) for the women. Platten also was first in the triple jump at 9.35m (30-08.25 ft.).
Going vertical,
Ritchy Laguerre went 1.77m (5-09.75 ft.) in the high jump for second.
RUNNING EVENTS
Nieves beat out Damilol Jolaogun in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.91. Nieves also won the 200m with a time of 22.69.
Rookie
Lena Spindler also had a solid sprint debut, winning the women's 100m in 12.58, ahead of
Destinee Fisher at 12.81, then earned second place in the 200m with a time of 26.11. In men's sprints, Anderson was second in the 100m at 11.06. As for the long sprints, freshman
Michelle Bigby debuted with a 400m win in 1:01.78.
The Sharks notched second place in both the 800m and 1500m, with the marks belonging to freshmen
Aliza Richard (2:33.48) and
Megan Fleming (5:00.83), respectively.
RELAY EVENTS
The Sharks closed off the night with a 4x400m relay first on the women's side, running 4:12.91 with a squad of
Michelle Greenstein, Bigby, Fisher and
Jasmine Charles.
UP NEXT
The Sharks head on the road next Friday to Tampa for the UT Track Classic, February 28 at UT's Pepin Stadium.
To keep up with Sharks track and field, follow on Twitter @NSU_XCTF, on Instagram @NSU_XCTF and on Facebook /NSUXCTF.
