Pitt
Wake Forest Open
Track and Field Concludes Opening Weekend at Wake Forest
3/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – The Pitt men’s 4x400 relay team opened up the season in winning fashion as they took the title to close out the second day of action at the Wake Forest Open.
“Despite adverse weather conditions today, we were able to achieve a couple more ACC qualifying performances,” head coach Alonzo Webb said. “We now have a starting point to the outdoor season and we look forward to steady improvements in all event areas as the season progresses.
After Palmer won the 110 hurdles yesterday, he teamed up with Josh McDonald, Chris Spadaro and Dustin Fuller to win the 4x400 meter relay. The Panthers finished three seconds clear of Morgan State who finished second.
In other relays, the women’s 4x100 team comprised of Khadeja Kearney, Alyssa Wise, Whitney Martin and Morgan Harvey took home fourth place in 48.68, while the men’s 4x100, which was the same team as the 4x400, placed fourth in 42.78.
Martin also had a standout performance in the women’s 200, placing seventh out of 61 athletes in a time of 25.88.
In the distance events, Michael Runco, who missed most of cross country and all of the indoor season due to injury, had a very encouraging performance as he ran an outdoor PR in the 3,000 meter and finished second overall in a time of 8:21.74.
In the field, Racquel Williams placed fifth in the discus with her best distance of 43.73m, which is an ACC qualifying mark.
“Freshman Grant Jones’ lifetime best and ACC qualifying mark and Paige Demetriades in the javelin as well were impressive. Alyssa Wise ran a wind legal personal best in the 100 meter dash, and Desmond Palmer ran a season’s best opener in the 110 hurdles. I was also impressed with Amy Kelly and Matt McGoey in the men’s and women’s 1,500 meter, as well as Racquel Williams ACC qualifying marks in the discus and shot put. It was great to see Michael Runco’s performance after returning from injury. Overall it was a good opening weekend.”
The Panthers are off next weekend and will then head to two of the bigger meets in the country in as they will split up and be at the Florida Relays and the Stanford Invitational.
