May 12, 2012
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Photo Gallery 
Sites: Madison, Wis. (McClimon Complex)
Event: Big Ten Outdoor Championships (Day 2 of 3)
U-M Team Result: 8th Place of 11 Teams (19 points) After Day 2
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 13 -- at Big Ten Outdoor Championships - Day 3 (Madison, Wis.), 11 a.m. CDT
MADISON, Wis. -- Four members of the University of Michigan women's track and field team scored points to lead the Wolverines on the second day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Saturday (May 12) at Wisconsin's McClimon Track. U-M is currently in eighth place with 19 points, while Wisconsin is leading the 11-team conference with 52 points heading into the final day of competition.
Sophomore Alex Leptich (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) finished runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:12.73. She remained in front of the lead pack from the gun and established position in first place with about three laps to go. On the bell lap, Leptich began pulling away after the final water jump, but Michigan State's Leah O'Connor caught up to her on the straightway and edged past her in the final 20 meters.
Sophomore heptathlete Erin Busbee (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) rounded out the seven-event competition with a lifetime-best 5,336 points to finish fourth overall. Busbee recorded personal-best marks in five of the seven events. On the final day, she reached a distance of 5.80 meters (19-0.50) to finish second in the long jump and ran a career-best time of 2:32.06 in the 800-meter run.
Fifth-year senior thrower Emily Pendleton (Lindsey, Ohio/Woodmore) scored in her second throwing event of the meet, advancing to the finals of the shot put, where she finished seventh with a toss of 15.50 meters (50-10.25).
In the long jump, senior/junior Tofunmi Akeredolu (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) advanced to the finals, where she finished sixth with a mark of 5.90 meters (19-4.25).
Michigan had three athletes each qualify for the tomorrow's (Sunday, May 13) finals in two events. Sophomore Amber Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) advanced to the finals of the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, clocking personal-best times of 13.64 and 59.22, respectively. She was fourth overall in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the 400 hurdles.
Junior/sophomore Jillian Smith (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) and junior Rebecca Addison (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven) both qualified for finals in the 800- and 1,500-meter run. In the 1,500-meter run, Addison ran a time of 4:24.96, while Smith finished in 4:25.59. Later in the 800-meter run, Smith stopped the watch at 2:07.97 and Addison ran a time of 2:08.12. Addison will attempt to defend her 1,500-meter title from the 2011 Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
The 4x100-meter relay also earned a spot in the finals, finishing ninth in a season-best time of 46.39. The relay was comprised of junior Ada Unachukwu (Morganville, N.J./Marlboro), Amber Smith, senior Shelby Hines (Marietta, Ga./Wheeler) and junior Charlotte Cahill (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington).
Michigan will compete in the triple jump, discus, pole vault, high jump, 5,000-meter run and 4x400-meter relay, as well as the finals of the 4x100-meter relay, 1,500-meter, 100-meter hurdles, 800-meter and 400-meter hurdles. Action at the McClimon Complex will begin at 11 a.m. CDT on Sunday.
Team Standings (After Day 2)
1. Wisconsin 52
2. Penn State 39
3. Purdue 32
4. Minnesota 27
5. Michigan State 25
6. Ohio State 24
7. Nebraska 22
8. MICHIGAN 19
9. Illinois 13
10. Indiana 10
Iowa 10
Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 2)
Heptathlon (Through 10 Events)
1. Jessica Flax, Wisconsin 5,772
4. Erin Busbee, U-M 5,336
Long Jump (19-0.50, 5.80m) 789 (3)
Javelin (90-4, 27.54m) 430 (11)
800m Run (2:32.06) 667 (15)
4x100-meter Relay (Prelims)
1. Ohio State 44.44Q
9. MICHIGAN 46.39q
(Ada Unachukwu, Amber Smith,
Shelby Hines, Charlotte Cahill)
1,500-meter Run (Prelims)
1. Betsy Flood, Iowa 4:23.92Q
3. Rebecca Addison, U-M 4:24.96Q
6. Jillian Smith, U-M 4:25.69Q
14. Michaela Carnegie, U-M 4:30.71
400-meter Dash (Prelims)
1. Ashley Spencer, Illinois 51.99Q
19. Brittani Williams, U-M 56.44
20. Shelby Hines, U-M 56.97
24. Chinyere Onimo, U-M 57.58
100-meter Dash (Prelims)
1. Christina Manning, Ohio State 11.43Q
15. Charlotte Cahill, U-M 12.01
100-meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Christina Manning, Ohio State 13.04Q
4. Amber Smith, U-M 13.64Q
800-meter Run (Prelims)
1. Blaire Dinsdale, Nebraska 2:07.04Q
3. Jillian Smith, U-M 2:07.97Q
7. Rebecca Addison, U-M 2:08.12q
20. Meg Bellino, U-M 2:12.38
200-meter Dash (Prelims)
1. Ashley Spencer, Illinois 23.14Q
15. Charlotte Cahill, U-M 24.35
400-meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Latoya Griffith, Illinois 57.56Q
5. Amber Smith, U-M 59.22
19. Dana Carey, U-M 1:02.43
3,000-meter Steeplechase
1. Leah O'Connor, Michigan State 10:12.36
2. Alex Leptich, U-M 10:12.73
17. Anna Pasternak, U-M 10:35.32
26. Brook Handler, U-M 10:59.75
Shot Put
1. Dani Bunch, Purdue 16.46m (54-0)
7. Emily Pendleton, U-M 15.50m (50-10.25)
12. Allison Liske, U-M 15.09m (49-6.25)
18. Erin Pendleton, U-M 13.77m (45-2.25)
Long Jump
1. Leah Eber, Purdue 6.21m (20-4.50)
6. Tofunmi Akeredolu, U-M 5.90m (19-4.25)
Q - Automatic Qualifier
q - At-Large Qualifier
• Day 1 Results
PERSONAL RECORDS
Name, Event (Mark)
Erin Busbee, Long Jump (5.80m, 19-0.50)
Erin Busbee, 800m (2:32.06)
Michaela Carnegie, 1,500m (4:30.71)
Amber Smith, 100m Hurdles (13.64)
Amber Smith, 400m Hurdles (59.22)
Anna Pasternak, 3,000m Steeplechase (10:35.32)
Contact: Whitney Dixon (734) 763-4423
