Troy University Athletics
Baker Sets Personal Mark At Snowbird
3/21/2008 5:00:00 AM | Track & Field
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After losing outdoor training to the weather earlier this week, the Troy University Trojans were able to get outside at the Snowbird Invite hosted by Florida State University.
Trojans sophomore Tiphanie Baker used her momentum from last season to win two gold medals at the Jaguar Premier a couple of weeks ago, but didn't stop there. After setting a personal best at that meet, Baker outdid herself this week by posting another personal best which included besting the NCAA automatic qualifying mark by three inches. Baker claimed the top spot in the discus with a throw of 50.30 meters (165'), besting her previous mark of 47.10 meters set at the Jagaur Premier.
She was followed by teammates Shenita Howell in third place with a distance of 46 meters (150'11") and Monique Jordan in fifth place with a distance of 44.17 meters (144'11").
The Trojans also captured gold on the men's side in the 1600-meter Sprint Medley. The team of Burke Leonce, Matavis Madden, Lamar Hicks and Michael Niezgoda ran a time of 3:25.49. The team was good enough to defeat the favorites from Louisiana Tech by over two seconds.
Most of the events held on day one of the invitational were field events, with a few relays mixed in.
In the women's long jump, Chonita Allen finished 15th with a distance of 5.03 meters (16'6"), followed by teammates Sametria Matthews in 18th place with a distance of 4.96 meters (16'3 1/4") and Erin Clymer in 23rd place with a distance of 4.71 meters (15'5 1/2"). All three jumps were season-highs and personal bests in the long jump for the teammates.
On the men's side, Lamontrey Stamper fnished fourth with a distance of 7.00 meters (22'11 3/4"), his first competition of the season in the long jump. Mike Conley, competing in his first meet of the season, finished ninth with a distance of 6.21 meters (20'4 1/2").
Only one Trojan competed in the men's discus, Michael Martin, and he finished 12th with a distance of 38.12 meters (125'1").
In the women's hammer throw, Baker finished fourth with a distance of 49.74 meters (163'2"), barely missing a new personal best and another NCAA automatic qualifying distance. Jordan finished seventh with a distance of 45.13 meters (148'1"), Howell 11th with a distance of 40.42 meters (132'7") and Stephanie Yawn 17th with a distance of 35.43 meters (116'3") - narrowly missing a new personal best.
Howell finished fourth in the javelin on Friday afternoon with a distance of 37.14 meters (121'10"), a new season-high. Yawn finished eighth with a distance of 32.05 meters (105'2") and Clymer 10th with a distance of 30.72 meters (100'9") - a new personal best.
The also competed in the Distance Medley Relay on the women's side, finishing seventh with a time of 13:07.66. They also competed in the 1600-meter Sprint Medley, finished third with a time of 4:01.95.
In the individual running events on the first day of the meet, Porsche Holden finished ninth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:07.38, while Faith Hampton finished 11th with a time of 1:08.16 and Sametria Matthews 12th with a time of 1:09.35. On the men's side, Conely finished fifth with a time of 54.38, while Logan Etheridge finished eighth with a time of 55.74, Leander McKenzie 11th with a time of 57.38 and Ben Parnell 15th with a time of 1:00.44.
Jennifer Graham and Jeremy Moujoodi competed in the 5000-meter run, with Graham finishing 29th on the women's side with a time of 19:05.67 and Moujoodi 13th on the men's side with a time of 15:02.30.
