SLU Track and Field started off the outdoor season with a bang on March 20 and 21, 2015.  Several Billikens achieved personal bests and broke one school record in the season opener. The meet was the first of two this season that will take place at the Medical Center Stadium; the next one the SLU Invitational, is April 10 and 11.

Stephanie Uhrich broke her own school record in the pole vault with a vault of 11-1.75, breaking her own school record of 10-8, set two years ago at the SLU Invitational.  Jenna Ginsberg also had a personal record (PR) in the pole vault, setting a mark of 10-8. Dominic Covington posted a PR in the high jump with a height of 6-2, tying Michael Reader who met the same height.

The 5000-meters race on Friday night saw Nina Razavi and Madeline Nathe both set PRs. Razavi ran the event in 17:53.61, while Nathe ran the event in 18:00.66. Brett Turnbrough also set a PR with a throw of 177-08 in the hammer throw.

The 800 meters saw Emma Kidd finish third with a time of 2:18.20, while Annika Gomell finished second. They ran the race in 4:37.39 and 4:44.16, respectively.  Madie Alexander finished fifth in the 200 meters with a PR time.

The women’s 4×400 team put in a strong showing at the meet. Alex Groene, Laura Schlueter, Alexander and Kidd ran the relay, and the team finished fourth with a time of 4:01.90.

In the field events, Jasmine Jefko finished fifth in the shot put with a mark of 38-10.25, and Kamaria Gage finished fifth in the discus, posting a mark of 113-09. Gage placed in the hammer throw, with a mark of 122-09, finishing third, just behind teammate Hannah Murray.  Murray matched the mark of Gage, putting up a throw of 122-09.

Back on the racetrack, Kyle Clinkingbeard finished fifth in the 400 meters with a time of 49.34, while Pat Sheil and Jeff Orf both finished in the top 5 of the 800-meters race. Sheil earned third place with a time of 1:58.24, while Orf finished fifth with a time of 2:00.12.

Michael Scolarici ended the 1500-meter race in second place, with a time of 3:56.57. Hiob Gebisso finished the same 1500-meter event in 3:59.73, a time that was good for a fifth-place finish.

The next notable Billikens’ performance came in the men’s 4×400 relay. The relay team, made up of Clinkingbeard, Nathan Hall, Tommy Whittaker and Griffin McCurren, finished second, running the race in 3:19.94.

The shot put saw strong Billiken performances with Todd Johnson putting in an effort of 43-10.75, passing Robert Tosie’s mark of 42-6.75 in the same event. Johnson’s mark was good for fourth in the competition. Johnson also finished third in the hammer throw with a mark of 144-05.

The Billikens will be competing once again next weekend, at the Black and Gold Invitational, located at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.