With the Michigan women’s track and field team just two events into its season, several Wolverines have already qualified for the NCAA Championships in June. The nonscored Kentucky Invitational this weekend proved to be just the laidback environment needed to jumpstart the Wolverines and help many athletes meet NCAA provisional qualifying standards.
Michigan opened the two-day meet by shattering the existing Nutter Field House record in the 4×800-meter relay. Fifth-year senior captain Lindsey Gallo anchored the relay and crossed the finish line in 8:47.75, just six seconds faster than the old record set by Auburn in 2003. Freshmen Laura Gyll and Nicole Edwards and junior Theresa Feldkamp ran the first three legs of the race, helping to clock a time 26 seconds faster than second-place Clemson.
“I would have to say that it’s a mission accomplished,” Michigan coach James Henry said of the team’s performance. “We have made it a goal to get better each week, and this week we showed improvement since the Jack Harvey Invitational. We looked more relaxed this weekend, and the performances were coming to us, rather than us having to fight to get those performances.”
Former All-American junior Stephanie Linz got her 2005 season started with a bang, striking a new personal best while meeting an NCAA automatic qualifying standard in the high jump with a height of 6-0