Buckeye Track Teams Amidst History at Penn Relays – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 20, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the majority of the team getting a weekend off to rest and practice due to the cancellation %^$of the Indiana State Invitational, Ohio State now looks ahead to the historic Penn Relay Carnival, held this %^$weekend in Philadelphia. This meet will be a foreshadowing, of sorts, of the upcoming Big Ten %^$Championships hosted by Purdue on May 21-23, as the Buckeyes join Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and %^$Penn State at the Relays. The remainder of the Big Ten will compete at the Drake Relays. %^$
%^$PENN RELAY CARNIVAL HISTORY%^$
%^$This year marks the 105th running of the Penn Relays, what is regarded as “America’s greatest track and %^$field meet.” In its 104 year history, the Penn Relay Carnival has provided competition for more athletes %^$than any other track meet in the world. Last year, more than 20,000 competitors and more than 90,000 %^$spectators came to Penns historic Franklin Field. This year, more than 350 races will be run, at an average %^$of one race every five minutes. That includes more than two dozen distance races which require 10 minutes %^$or more for their actual running.%^$
%^$LAST YEAR AT THE PENN RELAYS%^$
%^$Last year in Philadelphia, Ian Connor won the college steeplechase (8:55.20). The men’s 4×400 meter relay %^$of Sekou Smith, Winston Tidwell, Marlon DeLeon and Andrew Pierce was fifth (3:11.26) and the men’s %^$distance medley of Ian Connor, Andy Greicius, Sekou Smith and David Gonzalez was sixth (9:51.16). On %^$the women’s front, Ayanna Reece won the 400 meter hurdles (61.41) while Donica Merriman was fourth in %^$the 100 meter high hurdles (13.65) and Dominque Calloway was eighth (13.81).%^$
%^$NATIONALLY SPEAKING%^$
%^$Once again, several Buckeyes are ranked among the nations best on the weeks NCAA Performance List. %^$Andrew Pierce is tenth in the 400 meters (45.86). Dominque Calloway is second in the 400 meter %^$intermediate hurdles (56.83) and tenth in the 100 meter high hurdles (13.30). Donica Merriman is 21st in %^$the 100 meter high hurdles (13.59) while Ayanna Reece is 11th in the 400 intermediate hurdles. The %^$womens 4×100 meter relay stands 21st (45.06) and is comprised of Cathy Rejouis, Dominque Calloway, %^$Monique Coleman and Donica Merriman. %^$
%^$CLOSING IN ON A LEGENDARY MARK%^$
%^$When Dominque Calloway recorded her times at the Florida Relays, her 400 meter hurdles time (56.83) %^$was a new Ohio State record. Perhaps more importantly, her time in the 100 meter hurdles (12.95) was only %^$.05 away from Buckeye legend Stephanie Hightower’s mark.%^$
%^$THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON%^$
%^$Ohio State has two meets remaining before heading into the postseason. On May 8 the Buckeyes are at %^$Michigan for the Michigan Invitational and the following weekend are in Bloomington, Ind. for the Billy %^$Hayes Invitational. After traveling to Purdue for the Big Ten Championships, the NCAA Outdoor %^$Championships are slated for June 2-5 at Boise State in Boise, Idaho. The USATF Championships are June %^$18-19 in Eugene, Ore.%^$
