Even with a small squad, the Michigan men’s track and field team achieved big-time success at this weekend’s UNC Joe Hilton Invitational.

With first-place finishes in nine of the 12 events in which they competed, the Wolverines displayed one of their most dominant performances this season. Junior Herman Washington headlined the effort by winning the 110-meter hurdles with the fourth-fastest time in Michigan history. His time of 13.82 seconds also beat his previous personal record time by .22 seconds and stands at third in the Big Ten.

“I’d say the good focus I had heading in was the biggest contributor (to the victory),” Washington said. “I want to use this to continue my success all the way into nationals at the end of the year.”

For the second straight week, the Wolverines excelled in relay events. Junior Ali Arastu, redshirt junior Troy Sneller, sophomore Philip Washington and fifth-year senior Matthew Campbell made up the team that took first in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:14.54. The win was followed up by another in the 4x100-meter relay. The team made up of Campbell, junior Justin Clarke, senior Aaron Taylor and redshirt freshman Codie Nolan finished in 40.94 seconds.

Michigan’s sprinters had strong showings in their individual events as well. The Wolverines dominated the 100-meter dash, where Clarke, Nolan and freshman Antonio Whitfield swept the top three spots. Whitfield’s time of 11.14 seconds set a personal record. In the 200-meter dash, Taylor and Clarke both set new personal records with times of 21.16 and 21.55 seconds, respectively, and Taylor won the event.

“Aaron beat a pretty good field of competitors in the 200,” said Michigan coach Fred LaPlante. “He’s been nursing a little bit of an injury, so this was a great boost to his confidence.”

Whitfield continued his strong freshman showing by adding another personal record to his list, winning the long jump with a mark of 6.82 meters.

The 15-man Michigan team that competed this weekend continued an upward trend for the team. No matter the athletes it sends, the team has found success in the first portion of the outdoor season.

“For the athletes that are competing, the atmosphere is the same, no matter what,” LaPlante said. “Everyone has stayed focused on their particular event, and they have been accomplishing a lot.”

Next week, one portion of the Michigan team will look to continue its success at the Mt. SAC Relays in California. Another group of Wolverines will stay close to home, competing at the EMU Twilight Invitational over the weekend. Such a schedule creates a very busy time for the team. The Wolverines must stay focused on their success in their events but also must be mindful of impending final exams, something that the coaching staff recognizes.

“We know that our guys need time to study,” LaPlante said. “And we do our best to bring the right athletes to each of our competitions. No matter what, the guys that are here competing are here to give their best.”