IU welcomed tough competition Friday and Saturday from NCAA Division I and II and won just five events out of 59, despite its many improved times.
“The big positive is that we’re getting better,” IU Coach Ron Helmer said. “We’re still young and growing. Some athletes are putting up some solid marks, but the main thing is that we are improving going into the Meyo Invite next weekend.”
Fifteen athletes set personal records throughout the weekend, including sophomore Nakel McClinton, who placed second all-time at IU for the women’s weight throw with her toss of 20.08 meters.
“I have actually been throwing above 19 meters all season, but I kept fouling,” said McClinton, whose previous best was 18.74 meters. “It felt really good to throw that one fair, and it is the first time I’ve ever thrown above 20.”
Even though McClinton’s was the second best throw in IU history, she still placed sixth in the event as the top collegiate thrower, Louisville sophomore Dolly Nyemah, placed 10th in the nation with her throw of 21.08 meters.
“The competition was very tough,” McClinton said. “Coach put me into the invitational event, hoping that I would have a big throw, and I did.”
McClinton’s mark places her No. 4 in the Big Ten, No. 25 in the nation and No. 21 in NCAA Division I, just five spots off of a qualifying mark.
Also improving his time with a season-high of 4:03.95 was senior Rorey Hunter, a 2014 Second Team All-American, who placed third in the men’s invitational mile among a top five that featured three ?professional runners.
“I knew it was going to be a tough field,” Hunter said. “I knew there was a guy from Loyola who was going to be hard to beat, and he was. There were also a couple guys from Team Indiana Elite that would run pretty well too. It was right where I needed to be at this time of the year.”
Hunter’s time places him No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 36 in the nation. He also ran the final leg of the IU men’s 3200-meter relay, which includes freshmen Eric Claxton and Jordan Huntoon and sophomore Kieran Reilly. The relay increased its time to 7:35.12, No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 3 in the nation.
“I’m running with some young guys,” Hunter said. “I know we can run faster than what we did and hopefully going into Notre Dame on a flat track, we can produce an even better time.”
The Gladstein Fieldhouse record in the weight throw was also broken as unattached athlete JC Lambert threw a length of 24.20 ?meters.
Lambert’s throw defeated IU Coach Cory Martin’s mark of 23.36 meters when he was throwing for Nike in 2010.
The Hoosiers travel to Notre Dame next weekend to participate in the Meyo Invitational Friday and ?Saturday.
