Jan. 11, 2013
• Quotes
Site: Allendale, Mich. (Kelly Family Sports Center)
Event: Grand Valley State Bob Eubanks Open
U-M Team Result: Non-scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 19 -- host Simmons-Harvey Invitational (U-M Indoor Track Building), 10:30 a.m.
ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The 19th-ranked University of Michigan women's track and field team opened the 2013 indoor season on Friday (Jan. 11) at Grand Valley State's Bob Eubanks Open. The Wolverines produced 26 top-five performances, including four first-place finishes -- junior Amber Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) in the 60-meter hurdles, junior Megan Weschler (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt) in the 800-meter run, sophomore/freshman Devon Hoppe (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar) in the mile run and senior/junior Sara Nitz (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland East) in the high jump.
Smith was one of three Wolverines to qualify for the 60-meter hurdles final, winning the event with a personal-best time of 8.39. In her career debut in Maize and Blue, freshman Cindy Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich./Huron) also placed in the top five, stopping the clock at 8.54 to finish fourth.
Weschler paced a group of Wolverines that claimed the top four spots in the 800-meter run, clocking a time of 2:13.79 to win the event. Sophomore Chinyere Onimo (Ypsilanti, Mich./Huron), freshman Maya Long (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) and sophomore Chelsey Miller (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) followed in second, third and fourth place, respectively, in times of 2:19.32, 2:19.78 and 2:19.81.
In her first collegiate race, Hoppe won the mile with a time of 5:11.60, finishing more than four seconds ahead of the runner-up.
After missing the 2012 indoor season due to injury, Nitz returned to lead the field-event group, leaping 1.67 meters (5-5.75) to finish first in the high jump.
Senior Erin Pendleton (Lindsey, Ohio/Woodmore) began her final indoor season, finishing fourth in the shot put (13.18m, 43-3) and fifth in the weight throw (16.94m, 55-7).
In the 60-meter dash, five Wolverines qualified for the finals, taking three of the top five places in the finals. Senior Ada Unachukwu (Morganville, N.J./Marlboro) was the first of three U-M sprinters who finished 2-3-4, placing second in a career-best time of 7.67. Ofili (7.70) and senior Charlotte Cahill (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) (7.70) finished almost simultaneously, taking third and fourth, respectively.
Junior Erin Busbee (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) recorded personal-best mark in three events -- 60-meter dash (7.76), 200-meter dash (25.31) and 60-meter hurdles (8.66). She registered her best finish in the 200, finishing runner-up, while Unachukwu followed in fourth place with a time of 25.44.
In the 300-meter dash, which is not an event contested at the championship level, Cahill finished third (40.13), followed by Smith (40.79) and Ofili (41.05) in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Senior/juniors Meg Bellino (Monroe, Mich./Catholic Central) (1:33.41) and Jami Hill (Onalaska, Wis./Onalaska) (1:34.57) each recorded personal-best times in the 600-meter run to secure the third and fourth positions in the 600-meter run. Sophomore/freshman Dana Carey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Marian) finished on their heels in fifth place with a time of 1:38.81.
Michigan finished 2-3-4-5 in the 3,000-meter run, led by sophomore /freshman Anna Pasternak (Brighton, Mich./Hartland), who finished runner-up in 10:08.59. Junior/sophomore Alex Mathews (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm) finished third in a time of 10:12.42, followed by sophomore/freshman Laura Addison (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven) (10:18.73) in fourth and junior Nicola Hallenborg (Summit, N.J./Summit) (10:25.60) in fifth. It marked the collegiate debut for Pasternak and Addison.
The Wolverines will return to Ann Arbor to host the annual Simmons-Harvey Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the U-M Indoor Track Building. The meet will kick off with field events at 10:30 a.m. and continue with running events at 12:30 p.m.
Event Winners/U-M Finishers
60-meter Dash (Prelims)
1. Cindy Ofili, U-M 7.73q
t2. Charlotte Cahill, U-M 7.73q
4. Erin Busbee, U-M 7.74q
5. Amber Smith, U-M 7.78q
5. Ada Unachukwu, U-M 7.78q
11. Tofunmi Akeredolu, U-M 7.92
60-meter dash (Finals)
1. Brittney Jackson, Grand Valley 7.67
2. Ada Unachukwu, U-M 7.67
3. Cindy Ofili, U-M 7.70
4. Charlotte Cahill, U-M 7.70
6. Erin Busbee, U-M 7.76
9. Amber Smith, U-M 7.93
200-meter Dash
1. Margaret Bamgbose, Notre Dame 24.65
2. Erin Busbee, U-M 25.31
4. Ada Unachukwu, U-M 25.44
19. Tofunmi Akeredolu, U-M 26.66
300-meter Dash
1. Michelle Brown, Notre Dame 38.76
3. Charlotte Cahill, U-M 40.13
4. Amber Smith, U-M 40.79
5. Cindy Ofili, U-M 41.05
600-meter Run
1. Alysson Bodenbach, Michigan State 1:32.05
3. Meg Bellino, U-M 1:33.41
4. Jami Hill, U-M 1:34.57
5. Dana Carey, U-M 1:38.81
8. Emily Wee, U-M 1:42.85
800-meter Run
1. Megan Weschler, U-M 2:13.79
2. Chinyere Onimo, U-M 2:19.32
3. Maya Long, U-M 2:19.78
4. Chelsey Miller, U-M 2:19.91
Danielle Pfeifer, U-M DNF
Mile Run
1. Devon Hoppe, U-M 5:11.60
3,000-meter Run
1. Nicole Michmerhuizen, Calvin 10:03.59
2. Anna Pasternak, U-M 10:08.59
3. Alex Mathews, U-M 10:12.42
4. Laura Addison, U-M 10:18.73
5. Nicola Hallenborg, U-M 10:25.60
60-meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Nevada Sorenson, Notre Dame 8.48q
1. Amber Smith, U-M 8.48q
6. Cindy Ofili, U-M 8.57q
7. Erin Busbee, U-M 8.70q
15. Liz Sherzer, U-M 9.79
60-meter Hurdles (Finals)
1. Amber Smith, U-M 8.39
4. Cindy Ofili, U-M 8.54
7. Erin Busbee, U-M 8.66
Long Jump
1. Ashley Stacey, Michigan Sta 5.71m (18-9)
26. Liz Sherzer, U-M 3.95m (12-11.50)
High Jump
1. Sara Nitz, U-M 1.67m (5-5.75)
Shot Put
1. Sam Lockhart, Grand Valley 14.09m (46-2.75)
4. Erin Pendleton, U-M 13.18m (43-3)
13. Elly Mioduszewski, U-M 11.42m (37-5.75)
19. Liz Sherzer, U-M 11.03m (36-2.25)
20. Erin Busbee, U-M 11.02m (36-2)
26. Kari Prena, U-M 10.45m (34-3.50)
Weight Throw
1. Sam Lockhart, Grand Valley 20.43m (67-0.50)
5. Erin Pendleton, U-M 16.94m (55-7)
12. Kari Prena, U-M 15.46m (50-8.75)
18. Amanda Adwon, U-M 14.53m (47-8)
23. Elly Mioduszewski, U-M 13.32m (43-8)
4x400-meter Relay
1. Michigan State 'A' 3:44.36
5. MICHIGAN 'A' 3:56.26
(Dana Carey, Maya Long, Meg Bellino, Chinyere Onimo)
7. MICHIGAN 'B' 3:58.17
(Chelsey Miller, Jami Hill, Devon Hoppe, Emily Wee)
q - qualified for finals
PERSONAL RECORDS
Ada Unachukwu -- 60m Dash (7.67)
Erin Busbee -- 60m Dash (7.74) (P)
Erin Busbee -- 200m Dash (25.31)
Meg Bellino -- 600m Run (1:33.41)
Jami Hill -- 600m Run (1:34.57)
Devon Hoppe -- Mile Run (5:11.60)
Amber Smith -- 60m Hurdles (8.39)
Erin Busbee -- 60m Hurdles (8.66)
Liz Sherzer -- Shot Put (11.03m; 36-2.25)
Contact: Whitney Dixon (734) 763-4423
