The N.C. State track and field team represented well in its first-place performances Friday, as the Wolfpack completed the first day of the 2013 Raleigh Relays at the Paul H. Derr Track.
For the second consecutive week, redshirt junior Nathaniel Williams won the men’s discus with a 179’ 6.00” heave, while Jule Rich recorded a fifth-place finish (170’ 6.00”) and Grant Pearce took seventh place (160’ 5.00”). Williams was victorious in the discus at last weekend’s UCF Invitational, where he tied his season best with a 180’ 2.00” throw.
Senior Karimah Shepherd won the women’s long jump with an outdoor personal-best mark of 20’ 7.25”, while freshman Alexis Perry took seventh in the event with a 19’ 0.50” jump.
Junior Elizabeth Shuman took top honors in the women’s high jump, while tying her personal best with a 5’ 10.75” jump in her first outdoor competition of the season.
The Wolfpack recorded a 1-2 finish in section two of the women’s high jump, where senior Danielle Adams claimed the top spot with a 5’ 7.00” jump over the bar and Perry took second with a 5’ 5.00” jump.
N.C. State recorded one more sweep of the top two spots in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase where senior Erin Mercer and redshirt junior Samantha Norman left the rest of the field behind, en route to a 1-2 finish. Mercer finished the race in 10:28.42, while Norman was close behind at 10:30.70. The next finisher crossed the finish line 11 seconds after Norman.
Redshirt senior Brian Himelright was just as strong in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, blazing his way to a first-place finish with a time of 8:56.25.
Redshirt sophomore Tremanisha Taylor’s streak of five-straight shot put victories came to an end, but the Henderson, N.C., native was able to grab a second-place finish with a 51’ 0.25” toss.
Junior Kris Kornegay-Gober competed in the men’s high jump for the first time this outdoor season and leaped 7’ 0.50” for a third-place standing.
Several records were broken on the first day, including Ravenscroft High School senior Wesley Frazier shattering the women’s 3,200-meter mark with a 9:57.70 time. Frazier crossed the finish line more than 39 seconds faster than the second-place finisher and demolished the track record by an as astounding 24 seconds.
The women’s 5,000-meter record was broken by nearly one second, as Zap Fitness’ Sarah Crouch clocked a 15:58.36 time to win the race.
March 30, the second day of the Raleigh Relays, had a record attendance. The Paul H. Derr Track was full of spectators and athletes from 84 NCAA programs from around the country.
“There were some big-time track and field programs here and the stands were completely full,” head coach Rollie Geiger said. “It was an incredible meet. This was – without question – one of the biggest and one of the best events in the country.”
“We’ve never had weather better than this,” Geiger said. “If you’re a middle-distance or distance runner, you’re looking for cooler temperatures. It was perfect for that last night. If you’re in the sprints, throws or jumps, you’re looking for a warmer temperature. It couldn’t have been better across the board for the athletes.”
Running unattached, junior Kenyetta Iyevbele raced to a third-place finish in the women’s 800-meter dash with a time of 2:06.63, while freshman Alexis Perry finished sixth overall in the women’s 100-meter hurdle finals with a time of 13.85.
One day after taking top honors in the women’s long jump, senior Karimah Shepherd recorded a fourth-place finish in the women’s triple jump with a 40’ 8.75” leap.
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team recorded a season-best time with a 3:12.77, as seniors Daniel Fretz and Austin Jackson ran the first two legs, respectively, followed by sophomore Kevin Permenter and freshman Brian Davis.
Fretz’s first leg of the race put the Wolfpack in good standing, propelling the squad to a second-place finish in its section.
“As a whole, I was happy,” Fretz said. “That was the fastest relay I’ve been a part of and it was even more special to do it on our home track and in front of friends and family.
“It’s not too long until the conference [ACC Championships] meet, so we wanted to earn a good seeding time. I thought it was really important to set us up for the rest of the season.”
On the day, one women’s record fell when Michigan broke a 15-year-old Derr Track record in the women’s 4x800m race with a time of 8:33.54 to win the event, while Tennessee also broke the mark, but finished second at 8:35.06. The previous record was held by a group representing Reebok Enclave in 1998, which ran an 8:37.41.
“I think N.C. State hosted a great event,” said Geiger. “My compliments go to the university and the athletic department.”
N.C. State will return to competition next Friday and Saturday, April 5-6, when it participates in the Duke Invitational at Durham, N.C., and the Florida Relays at Gainesville, Fla.
