TAMPA, Fla. and PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Rutgers track and field split its squad sending sprints and jumps to the South Florida Invitational on the campus of USF, while a group of distance runners traveled to Philadelphia for the Penn Invitational this past weekend.
Competing in the Sunshine State for the third time this outdoor season, the Scarlet Knights earned three event wins, including going 1-2 in the men's long jump and women's pole vault.
Sincere Robinson won the long jump with a distance of 7.93m (26' 0.25"), while
A'nan Bridgett made his season debut, finishing second with a jump of 7.75m (25' 5.25").
Suzy Lacombe won the pole vault, clearing a height of 4.00m (13' 1.5"), followed by
Emma Keating in second, also clearing 4.00m (13' 1.5"). The pair tied for the second-best height on the program's top-10 all-time list.
The Scarlet Knights' other victory came from the women's 400-meter hurdles as
Arianna Smith won the event with a time of 59.55, followed by
Reanda Richards in fourth with a time of 1:00.14. Smith etched her name in the record books with the fourth-fastest time in the event.
Kevin O'Sullivan finished second in the pole vault, clearing 5.21m (17' 1"), while
Brian O'Sullivan tied for fourth with a height of 5.01m (16' 5.25").
Noah Kriesman placed sixth and posted the ninth-best height at Rutgers as he cleared 4.86m (15' 11.25").
On the track on the men's side were three third-place finishes, including
Shamali Whittle in the 100-meter (10.25),
Alec Snell in the 800-meter (1:53.21) and
Micah Wood in the 400-meter hurdles (51.66).
Closing out the top performances for the women's squad was
Celine-Jada Brown, who finished fourth in the long jump 6.30m (20' 8") and fifth in the 400-meter, running a time of 54.01, which ranks fifth on the all-time RU list.
Sydney Hawkins finished second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.38, good for No. 3 all-time.
At the Penn Invitational, the Scarlet Knights picked up wins in the men's 800-meter and men's 1,500-meter.
Gabriel Rodriguez won the 800 with a time of 1:53.21, followed by
Gavin Richards in third, clocking 1:53.60. Rutgers went 1-2 in the 1,500 led by
Kyle Rakitis, who finished first with a time of 3:55.83, followed by
Micah Lawson in second with a time of 3:56.62.
Rutgers will return to action on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13, sending a group to Gainesville, Florida for the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, while other members of the squad will compete at the Larry Ellis Invitational on the Princeton campus.
South Florida Invitational
Men's Results
Long Jump
1.
Sincere Robinson 7.93m (26' 0.25")
2.
A'nan Bridgett 7.75m (25' 5.25")
Pole Vault
2.
Kevin O'Sullivan 5.21m (17' 1")
T4.
Brian O'Sullivan 5.01m (16' 5.25")
6.
Noah Kriesman 4.86m (15' 11.25") – No. 9 all-time
100M
3.
Shamali Whittle 10.25
800M
3.
Alec Snell 1:53.21
5.
Sam Marran 1:53.80
400M Hurdles
3.
Micah Wood 51.66
5.
Lathan Brown 52.16 – No. 10 all-time
Women's Results
Long Jump
4.
Celine-Jada Brown 6.30m (20' 8")
6.
Alexis Willis 5.96m (19' 6.75")
Pole Vault
1.
Suzy Lacombe 4.00m (13' 1.5") – No. 2 all-time
2.
Emma Keating 4.00m (13' 1.5") – No. 2 all-time
High Jump
5.
Jenovia Logan 1.70m (5' 7")
Triple Jump
4.
Claudine Smith 12.65m (41' 6")
6.
Faith Bethea 12.40m (40' 8.25")
7.
Alexis Willis 12.23m (40' 1.5")
100M
2.
Sydney Hawkins 11.38 – No. 3 all-time
9.
Azariah Grantham 11.71 – No. 9 all-time
400M Hurdles
1.
Arianna Smith 59.55 – No. 4 all-time
4.
Reanda Richards 1:00.14
400M
5.
Celine-Jada Brown 54.01 – No. 5 all-time
Penn Invitational
Men's Results
800M
1.
Gabriel Rodriguez 1:53.21
3.
Gavin Richards 1:53.60
1,500M
1.
Kyle Rakitis 3:55.83
2.
Micah Lawson 3:56.62
4.
Zeb Hinker 3:58.26
Women's Results
800M
4.
Jenai Berry 2:17.05
1,500M
5.
Casey Walter 4:48.40
7.
Lorena David 4:50.64
8.
Lillie Widmer 4:53.01
