April 3, 2020

A Final Look at the 2019-20 Indoor Seasons

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s track and field season came to an unexpected end prior to the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, but the Buckeyes achieved new personal-best times and distances, individual event titles and accolades along with Big Ten medals and national rankings.

The 2019-20 campaign got underway with the highly-anticipated Jim Green Invitational hosted by the University of Kentucky. This meet would open the gates of continued success for the Buckeyes as they showed the rest of the NCAA what they’ve been working on during the off-season.

Domination in Kentucky
The Buckeyes claimed 15 top-five finishes during the Jim Green Invitational along with three career-best performances. Although the meet wasn’t scored, it was evident that Ohio State stood out among the 17 programs at the meet including in-state foes Xavier and Cincinnati.

Some highlights of the meet included:

  • Freshman Shaun Miller placed fifth in his first collegiate meet in the men’s high jump with a height of 1.99m.
  • Junior Peter Hayden competed in the 5,000-meter run and placed third with a time of 15:19.76.
  • Juniors Tyrese Fajardo and RJ Russell both competed in the 600-meter run; Fajardo took third (1:22.68) and Russell was fifth (1:23.68).
  • Sophomore Garrett Doyle started his season off with a bang as he took second in the weight throw. His distance of 19.61-meters becoming a new career best for the throws specialist.
  • The distance medley relay team claimed bronze with a time of 10:06.35. The group consisted of junior Cameron Cooper, senior Ryan Harrington and sophomores Wes York and Nick Miller.
  • Junior Eric Harrison Jr. placed third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21. Tyler Johnson, a junior, claimed fifth with a time of 21.35.
  • Senior Davion Fisher placed fifth in the men’s long jump with a distance of 7.08-meters.
  • Freshman Myles Marshall placed fifth in the final round of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.07 for a career best.
  • Sophomore Nick Miller finished third in the 800-meter run with a career-best time of 1:52.29.
  • Junior Paul Bete claimed silver in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:29.23.
  • The men’s 4×400-meter relay team registered a second place showing with a combined time of 3:08.09. The team included sophomore Donnie James, junior Eric Harrison and junior Tyler Johnson.
  • Clarence Foote-Talley took first place in the triple jump.

Simmons-Harvey Invite Runner-up
Next, the Buckeyes traveled north to Ann Arbor, Mich., to compete in the Simmons-Harvey Invite hosted by the University of Michigan. The event was a tri-meet between Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan. The Wolverines won the meet with 126 points, Ohio State placed second with 113 points and Michigan State was third with 53 points.

  • Junior Tavonte Mott placed third in the men’s section of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.09. Mott also went on to win the men’s 200-meter dash with a time of 21.75.
  • Eric Harrison Jr. won the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.74. while sophomore Kainnan Ramsey was third (6.89).
  • Clarence Foote-Talley won long jump (7.13-meters) and triple jump (14.36).
  • Sophomore Garrett Doyle continues to show progress as he threw a career-best distance in weight throw of 20.16-meters to take second.
  • Sophomore Donnie James was right behind him with a time of 47.76 to take second.
  • RJ Russell, a junior, won his first indoor 600-meter race with a time of 1:20.03.
  • Freshman Shaun Miller Jr. won the men’s high jump for the second time this year. He was able to clear a maximum height of 2.08-meters.
  • Pole vault specialist Robby Oswald claimed the men’s pole vault competition with a height of 4.90-meters.
  • The men’s 4×400-meter relay rounded out the scoring efforts for the Buckeyes with a second place showing. Donnie James, Terry Johnson, RJ Russell and Andre Jeff finished with a combined time of 3:17.30.

 

Columbia Challenge
At the Dr. Sanders Columbia Challenge, hosted by Columbia University, Ohio State finished with 44 team points to take seventh. Some highlights included:

  • Clarence Foote-Talley competed in the men’s long jump invitational, placing fifth with a personal best distance of 15.61-meters.
  • Garrett Doyle placed seventh in the men’s weight throw with a distance of 18.08-meters.
  • Middle distance runner Cameron Cooper ran a 1:51.09 in the 800-meter run placing fourth.
  • Junior Tyler Johnson won the men’s 200-meter dash. Johnson crossed the finish line with a time of 46.84. Teammate RJ Russell came in sixth with a time of 48.77.
  • Andre Jeff placed sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.75.
  • Ohio State’s 4×400-meter relay “A” team placed sixth with a time of 3:14.46. The team included Donnie James, Tyler Johnson, Andre Jeff and RJ Russell. The “B” team ran a 3:16.81. Eric Harrison Jr., Ryan Harrington, Evan Johnson and Amir Mett were members of the squad.
  • Shot put specialist Chance Ehrnsberger placed fifth with a distance of 17.00-meters.
  • Junior Eric Harrison Jr. placed third in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.76.

Texas Tech
At the Texas Tech Invitational, where 11 programs were in attendance including No. 1 Florida State and No. 3 Southern California, the Buckeyes ended the competition with six top-eight finishes.

  • Freshman Clarence Foote-Talley placed sixth in the men’s triple jump with a distance of 15.81-meters and
  • RJ Russell registered a third place finish in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:18.58.
  • 400-meter specialist Tyler Johnson came in fifth with a time of 46.84.
  • Donnie James was fourth in the men’s 200-meter dash with a career-best time of 21.14.
  • The men’s 4×400-meter relay team was able to place eight with a combined time of 3:10.54. The relay team included Asa Burke, Donnie James, Evan Matthews and Tyler Johnson.
  • Freshman jumper Shaun Miller Jr. took second in the men’s high jump. Miller cleared a career-best height of 2.09-meters.

Notre Dame Meyo Invite
Ohio State was able to register eight top-ten finishes in a field of more than 20 programs and achieved ten personal records at the Meyo Invitational on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

  • Chance Ehrnsberger registered an eighth place showing in the men’s shot put. He threw a distance of 17.05-meters.
  • Senior Robby Oswald cleared a height of 5.00-meters to take fifth in pole vault.
  • Sophomore Kainnan Rasemy claimed fifth in the men’s 200-meter dash with a time of 21.63. Senior Asa Burke rounded out the top ten with a time of 21.83.
  • Paul Bete, a distance specialist, clocked in a career best mile time of 4:06.74 to take seventh.
  • Senior Ryan Harrington placed fourth in the 400-meter dash with a career best time of 48.02. Asa Burke competed in the championship section of the 400-meter dash and took ninth with a time of 49.74.
  • Cameron Cooper brought home a bronze medal in the men’s 800-meter run with a career best time of 1:49.33.

 

Buckeye Split
Ohio State was split into three groups and competed in three different meets the weekend of Feb. 14-16. Sprinters and jumpers traveled to Clemson, SC, middle distance and distance runners competed in the Iowa State Classic while throwers and pole vaulters stayed close to home and competed in Kent, Ohio. The men were able to secure 11 top-ten finishes and ten career-bests.

  • Eric Harrison Jr. placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.00 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite.
  • Chance Ehrnesberger claimed fourth in shot put with a distance of 17.16-meters.
  • The men’s 4×400-meter relay team claimed silver with a time of 3:07.35. The team included Donnie James, Tyler Johnson, Andre Jeff and RJ Russell.
  • Pole vaulters Robby Oswald and Luke Bendick went fourth and seventh. Oswald cleared a height of 4.92-meters and Bendick 4.77-meters.
  • Kainnan Ramsey placed sixth in the in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.75.
  • Sophomore Garrett Doyle claimed second in the men’s weight throw with a career best throw of 20.84-meters at the Doug Raymond Invite hosted by Kent State.
  • Middle distance runner Ryan Harrington got day one of the Iowa State Classic off to a great start with a third place finish in the men’s 400-meter dash. Harrington crossed the finish line with a career best time of 47.73.
  • Senior long jumper Davion Fisher also registered a third place showing with a distance of 7.14-meters at the Doug Raymond Invite.

Alex Wilson Invite
The Buckeyes competed in the Alex Wilson Invitational Saturday, Feb. 22, hosted by Notre Dame. The Buckeyes were able to end the meet with six top ten finishes during their second meet in South Bend.

  • Ryan Harrington claimed first in the 400-meter dash (47.77) and seventh in the 200-meter dash with a career best time of 22.40.
  • Garrett Doyle placed second in weight throw with a distance of 19.57.
  • Tyrese Fajardo placed ninth in 400-meter dash with a time of 49.26. Fajardo also went on to take eighth in the 200-meter dash with a time a 22.44.
  • Cameron Cooper registered a fourth place showing for the Buckeyes in the 800-meter run. Cooper finished the race with a time of 1:50.39

Big Ten Championships
Ohio State fought hard during the Big Ten Indoor Championships, ending it with 57 team points to take fifth place overall. The Buckeyes claimed ten top-eight finishes and collected four medals.

  • Tyler Johnson secured two individual silver medals in the 200-meter dash (20.87) and 400-meter dash (45.97). Johnson went on to win another silver medal in the men’s 4×400-meter relay with teammates Donnie James, Asa Burke and Ryan Harrington. Their combined time of 3:06.12 surpassed the Spire Institute facility record.
  • Senior Ryan Harrington placed third in the men’s 600-meter run to help Ohio State’s scoring efforts.
  • Freshman Clarence Foote-Talley won a silver medal in his Big Ten debut in triple jump (15.88m).

Big Ten Finishes
Eric Harrison – 5. 60m 6.72; 5. Eric Harrison 21.14
Tyler Johnson – 2. 200m 20.87; 2. 400m 45.97; 2. 4×400 3:06.12
Donnie James – 6. 200m 21.15; 2. 4×400 3:06.12
Andre Jeff – 7. 200m 21.32
Ryan Harrington – 3. 600m 1:17.57; 2. 4×400 3:06.12
Shaun Miller – 7. High Jump 2.08m
Clarence Foote-Talley – 2. Triple Jump 15.88m

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