Track & Field Wraps 2022 Indoor Opener

SOUTH BEND, Indiana – The Marquette University men's and women's track & field team completed its first meet of the 2022-23 indoor season at the Blue & Gold Invitational hosted by Notre Dame.

Marquette competed alongside six other teams Friday afternoon at Loftus Sports Center. 30 Golden Eagles achieved personal bests in the season opener, and three made the top 10 lists. Additionally, 13 newcomers made their track & field debuts for the Golden Eagles.

"Overall, it was a really good opener with a bunch of PRs," said head coach Bert Rogers. "I'm excited to build off this next week when we head down to Chicago."

In the field events, junior Mikayla Wise beat her previous PR in the weight throw by over 2.5 meters with a mark of 16.07 meters/52 feet, 8.75 inches to take third in the event. Veronica Walinski turned in a personal best performance as well in the event with a throw of 14.59 meters/47 feet, 10.5 inches. Walinski also recorded a PR in the shot put with a throw of 13.39 meters/43 feet, 11.25 inches.

Both Annika Bynum and Harry Baker received runner-up honors in the high jump on their respective sides. Bynum cleared a personal best height of 1.70 meters/feet, 7 inches, which ties her for No. 10 all-time at Marquette in the event. Baker was able to clear a mark of 1.95 meters/6 feet, 4.75 inches.

Junior Alex Lesperance was the top finisher for MU in the long jump with a mark of 6.74 meters/22 feet, 1.5 inches to take second overall.

On the track, the MU men and women swept the 500 meters with Zachariah Murray and Daylee Braden taking first place. Murray made his way around the track in a personal best time of 1:04.89, good for sixth best in program history. Braden crossed the line with a PR of 1:16.63 to put her at No. 7 all-time at Marquette.

In the women's 4x400m relay, the team of Juru Okwaramoi, Katie Dingle, Morgan Parzych and Daylee Braden turned in a time of 3:55.73. As the anchor, Braden was able to make up a, roughly, 20-meter gap between her and the leaders of the heat to help the group finish second in the heat and fourth overall.

The men's 4x400m team of Zachariah Murray, Mitchell Van Vooren, Greg Van Hollen and Cade Ferron finished third overall in the event with a time of 3:23.46.

UP NEXT:
The Golden Eagles will make the trip to Chicago next Friday, Dec. 9 for the DePaul Holiday Invite.

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