It's not often a college sports team gets to play their team's conference championship on their home turf. But that's exactly the case for the MSU men's and women's track and field teams, as the 2015 Big Ten Track and Field Championship has come to East Lansing.
"It's cool," MSU distance runner Caleb Rhynard said. "We hosted cross country a few years back and that was cool but this is a lot bigger. It's a lot bigger scene. It's more people and it's just cool having this atmosphere on this campus where you train every single day."
After day one, the MSU men rank fifth. Impressive performances were turned out by Rhynard, who placed seventh in the 10,000 meters with a time of 29:51.73 and Vinny Gjokaj, who placed fifth and set a new school record in the men's hammer throw with a toss of 66.29 meters.
As for the MSU women, they lead the way after the first day with a total of 26 points. Minnesota is close behind in second (21 points) and in third, Nebraska (18).
Helping the MSU women to large chunk of these day one points is junior hammer thrower Cynthia Watt. Watt blew away the field with a throw of 65.03 meters -- setting a new meet record along the way.
"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this whole being here and actually contributing," said Watt after receiving her first place medal. Watt was a Division 2 athlete at Ashland University in Ohio a year ago. "It feels awesome ... I feel like I'm living a dream."
Seniors Sarah Birkmeier and Kassie Powell also came up big, placing fourth and fifth in the women's pole vault, clearing personal best heights of 4.17 and 4.12 meters respectively.
In the 10,000 meters, distance runners Melanie Brender and Alexis Wiersma rounded out the day of impressive performances on the women's side. The two ran together the entire 25-lap race, with Brender crossing the line in fifth with a time of 34:26 and Wiersma, sixth with a time of 34:28.
"I don't really think that we had discussed a race plan together going into it," Wiersma said. "But we knew that as much as we could be together, that was really going to benefit both of us. and throughout the race, every time we would get a few steps away from each other, our coaches were just on is to get back up to each other."
With day one over, and the women already squeaking out ahead before many of the distance events take place — the MSU women's strength — things are are looking pretty good for the Spartan women.
"We actually have a chance," Watt said. "If everyone else just does what they're supposed to do, we actually have a chance of winning ... it's scary and exciting at the same time."
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “MSU ranks fifth in Big Ten Track and Field Championship after day one” on social media.
