Before any races or events took place on Saturday, members of the Michigan women’s track and field team placed a call to the program’s first coach, Red Simmons, to wish him a happy 102nd birthday, a new personal record.
By the time the meet was finished three hours later, an additional 23 personal records were set.
Though the meet involved Michigan, Central Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green, it wasn’t a scoring meet. It was designed for the athletes to shoot for personal records and set goals for the upcoming season.
Fifth-year senior thrower Emily Pendleton and junior pole vaulter Kiley Tobel highlighted the event for the Wolverines.
Tobel set a new school record in the pole vault with a vault of 13’7.25“, breaking the old school record of 13’1.50“ she set earlier this season.
“I think, right now, she’s on her way to a national type of performance,” said Michigan assistant coach Sandy Fowler.
In the shot put, Michigan swept the event, taking first, second and third with Pendleton, fifth-year senior Allison Liske and junior Erin Pendleton leading the way.
The Pendleton sisters continued their success by coming in first and second in the weight throw. Emily claimed first with a personal record of 17.99 meters, while Erin threw 17.36 meters.
“I think (Emily’s) another person that is on and moving forward to where she needs to be when we get into our more heavy meets,” Fowler said. “I believe this will be her first personal-best of many to come.”
On the track side of things, sophomore distance runner Alicia Patterson earned her first career win at Michigan, running a personal record of 5:08.62 in the mile. In addition, senior Brittani Williams won the 800-meter race with a time of 2:15.64.
The most successful runner for Michigan was sophomore sprinter Amber Smith. Smith was the top finisher for the Wolverines in the 200-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles, with times of 25.56 and 8.62.
With her time of 8.62, Smith advanced to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles, where she finished third.
Smith believes she still has room for improvement.
“I felt like my last three hurdles of the race were kind of floaty, so it was good that I hit a PR (personal record) and still found mistakes,” she said.
In addition to the five colleges competing in the meet, a couple former Wolverines competed as well.
Tiffany Porter (2006-09) won the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash.
Competing against someone who is ranked fourth in the world in the 60-meter hurdle event is something that Smith welcomes.
“I know she’s going to do her thing,” Smith said. “If I’m a step behind her, then I’m at a good pace for me. They’re all fast, so to be in range of them makes me feel good.”
Michigan hopes to continue its early-season success at its meet on Saturday at Nebraska.