Both the Miami University men's and women's track and field teams were in action Friday at indoor track meets.
The men traveled to Columbus, Ohio where they met 13 other teams for the Buckeye Tune-Up. The meet was not formally scored, so no team was named the winner.
Senior Jarrod Eick won the 1000 meter race for the 'Hawks despite not even planning to compete in the event. Eick defeated the rest of the field with a time of 2:29.68
"It was a nice race for Jarrod," Head Coach Warren Mandrell said. "He ran in the mile race just before and he was leading until he got stepped on and lost his shoe; he was angry so he wanted to run another race."
Also leading the 'Hawks was junior Kevin Brown. He and freshman Joey Comisford finished second and fifth respectively in the 600 meter run.
"[Comisford] was only a second or two behind Brown, that was a great race for a freshman competing in a Big Ten venue," Mandrell said.
Junior Sam Spallinger led the RedHawks in the long jump with a 7.29 meter jump.
"Sam had an indoor personal record and nearly an overall personal record; he did a great job," Mandrell said.
Mandrell was also impressed with freshman Peter Stefanski's second place finish in the high jump.
"[Stefanski] had an impressive performance, especially for a freshman and [he] just missed first place," Mandrell said.
Both Stefanski and the first place finisher, Eugene Cannady from Tiffin University, jumped 2.09 meters in the final but because Cannady jumped it on his first attempt he earned the first place finish.
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Overall, Mandrell said he saw a lot of good races Friday.
Miami's women's team was also in action Friday.
The women traveled to Muncie, Ind. for the Ball State Quadrangular Meet. The 'Hawks faced Mid-American Conference (MAC) foes Western Michigan University, Ball State University and Northern Illinois University.
The Western Michigan Broncos took home their 9th straight first place finish at the meet. Northern Illinois finished second, followed by Miami in third and host Ball State in fourth place.
Miami Head Coach Kelly Phillips is far from worried about the third place finish.
"[The third place finish] doesn't matter," Phillips said. "We only had about a third of our team competing; we rested a lot of the team."
Sophomore Taylor Brown came in first place for the pole vault with a height of 3.58 meters. Phillips said that Brown was using a new pole during the meet.
Senior Monica Fischer finished 2nd in the one mile run with a time of 5:04.63 and finishing a half-second later was teammate junior Erica Howes in third place with a time of 5:05.04.
"The one mile race was more of a workout for Fischer and Howes," Phillips said. "They competed well."
Phillips viewed the Quadrangular as a way to get the 'Hawks back in the swing of things before the MAC Indoor Championships.
"We don't get too fired up about the Ball State meet," Phillips said. "Hopefully next weekend is more exciting."
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