Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Championships -- Day 3 Results | Cumulative Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Championship Results
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Youngstown State swept the 2016 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships, winning the men’s title for the second time in three years and capturing its third consecutive women’s championship.
The men’s title came down to the final event, where rallies on the final lap saw the standings change. Detroit’s Khalil Parris’ anchor lap pushed the Titans into first in the 4x400 meter relay, relegating Milwaukee to second. Behind them, Leighton Antonio overcame Valparaiso’s anchor in the closing stretch, pushing the Penguins into fourth place. The combination allowed Youngstown State to hold off Milwaukee, 183-181.
On the women’s side, the Penguins had an easier time, as the 4x400 relay served as the crown to another championship as Youngstown State won by 29 points.
History was made throughout the day, beginning in the morning as Conner Neu collected his second hammer throw title, tossing 69.91 meters to set a new championship record. Later in the day, Neu was honored as the Alfreeda Goff Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year for his efforts throughout the spring.
Marquis Johnson made history with his victory in the 400 meters. The Milwaukee senior became the first Horizon League student-athlete to claim four consecutive victories in the event and just the eighth in conference history to win an event four times.
Milwaukee also captured first on the women’s side, as Kate Novacek capped an impressive showing with a dominant 54.89 in the women’s 400 to win going away.
Oakland’s Aaron Davis swept the men’s 100 and 200 meters, going 10.66 in the 100 to win by .001 second over Youngstown State’s Leighton Antonio. In the 200, Davis posted a 21.14 to beat Antonio, who had lowered the League record to 21.10 in the prelims. Davis is the first Horizon League student-athlete since 2012 to sweep both disciplines.
With her victory in the 100 meters, Youngstown State’s Nina Grambling made herself the all-time queen of the event in the Horizon League. Grambling’s 11.85 secured her fourth straight win in the 100, making her the first woman in League history to achieve the feat.
Grambling also captured the 200 meters for the third consecutive outdoor meet, becoming the fourth female in League history with three 200 titles.
Grambling and Davis were named the women’s and men’s championship outstanding performers in running events, respectively.
Milwaukee freshman Cassidy Detert capped an impressive championship in the hammer throw, winning the event with a toss of 48.09. Jayne Corbett of Youngstown State was second, wrapping the throws with 28 out of a possible 30 points and earning the individual scoring champion award on the women’s side.
DeMondrea Starnes helped Northern Kentucky to a fourth-place finish in its first year in the Horizon League, as her triple jump of 12.33 meters put her atop the podium. Youngstown State’s Chontel Fils, who would be named the women’s freshman of the year in field events, was second, backing up her victory in the long jump.
Jordan Banks gave UIC its lone first-place finish of the day in the men’s triple jump, combining with Shaun Wollenweber on a 1-2 finish with leaps of 14.70 and 14.57 meters, respectively.
For the fourth straight year, Milwaukee won the men’s 4x100 relay; on the women’s side, Youngstown State took the top spot on the podium for the second straight year.
Northern Kentucky went 1-2 in the men’s 1,500, as J.J. Webber and Andrew Schille pushed each other throughout the race. Webber won in 3:52.75, while Schille followed close behind in 3:53.24.
Valpo’s Liz Bloy, who was third in the steeplechase last night, captured the women’s 1,500 in 4:45.37. Following the meet, Bloy was honored as the women’s Alfreeda Goff Athlete of the Year.
Nate Pozolinski of Milwaukee continued his dominant meet with a first-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles, outclassing the field by .87 seconds. With 22.5 points in the meet, Pozolinski captured the men’s individual scoring title.
YSU’s Amber Eles took first in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, helping give Youngstown State part of its cushion during the meet.
Oakland’s dominance of the distance events continued in the 800 meters, as Christopher Scott and Lydia Stanley went atop the podium. In the 5,000, Bryce Stroede doubled up, capturing the event two days after he won the 10,000. Ashley Burr took the 5,000 on the women’s side, followed by teammate Sammy Mondry.
Parris, who would later factor prominently into the overall results, was the champion on the 400 meter hurdles, catching Milwaukee’s Taylor Koss over the final 75 meters. Milwaukee’s Michelle Garner held off YSU’s Jen Shiley on the women’s side to take first.
Individually, Detroit’s Kye Dozier was named the women’s freshman of the year in the running events, while Oakland’s Corey Goodloe took honors on the men’s side. Connor Hickey of Valparaiso would join Fils as freshmen of the year in the field events.
Northern Kentucky’s Emily Grubb, who won the heptathlon, took women’s championship outstanding performer in the field events. On the men’s side, YSU’s Arnaldo Morales, who set a League record in the high jump, took honors.
Youngstown State’s Brian Gorby was named the men’s and women’s coach of the year.
