Taylor Win Pentathlon, Green Qualifies for Nationals
William Penn University Athletics
Ames–Gabriel Green (Sr., Anniston, Ala., Business Management) started his final campaign on the oval by punching his ticket for nationals, but he was not the only athlete in the navy and gold to excel as William Penn opened its indoor track and field season at the Iowa State Holiday Preview Friday.
Green not only qualified for nationals in the 60-meter dash (“A” standard of 6.92 seconds in the prelims), but also broke a school record in the 400-meter dash at 49.89 seconds. He placed seventh in the 400 and tenth in the 60 (7.03 seconds in the final).
Other men’s records fell in the 800-meter run, the 60-meter hurdles, and the pentathlon, while the women’s weight throw mark was also broke Friday.
Blake Washington (Jr., Knoxville, Iowa, Public Accounting) was sixth in the 800 with a time of 1:59.47, while AJ Rachford (So., Agency, Iowa, Cardinal HS) was 12th in the 60 hurdles at 8.54 seconds.
Sam Taylor (So., Eddyville, Iowa, Mechanical Engineering) was arguably the best athlete for the Statesmen, though, as he claimed the five-event pentathlon title with a school-record 3,271 points.
The sophomore’s school record included earning 825 points in the 60-meter hurdles (8.65 seconds), 670 points in the 1,000-meter run (2:59.38), 668 points in the long jump (20-10.75), 661 points in the high jump (6-0.5), and 447 points in the shot put (30-8.25).
Other top-ten finishes came from Yanni Gallagher (Kanab, Utah, Psychology) in the 3,000-meter run (7th, 9:41.60), Deane Wichelt (So., Durant, Iowa, Industrial Technology) in the one-mile run (8th, 4:45.96), and Dexter Jordan (Jr., St. Louis, Mo., Undecided) in the 600-yard run (9th, 1:14.45).
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team also placed second with a time of 4:01.09.
Meghan Foster (Fr., Centerville, Iowa) did not have the best finish for the women’s side (14th), but her weight throw toss of 45-2.25 set a new program mark.
Alora Simmons (Fr., Newton, Iowa) was in the top ten, taking seventh in the high jump at 4-11.5, while Sade Myers (So., Honolulu, Hawaii, Elementary Education) was ninth in the 600-yard run at 1:31.80.
“This was a great first meet before the holiday break and really set the tone for the rest of the indoor season,” Head Coach Allen Friesen said.
Next: William Penn is off until after the holidays, returning to action on January 12 in Cedar Falls to compete in the UNI Panther Open.
