Wolverines Begin 2010 With First Place at Akron Opener

Wolverines Begin 2010 With First Place at Akron Opener
Jan. 8, 2010

Site: Akron, Ohio (Stile Athletics Field House)
Event: Akron Opener
U-M Team Finish: 1st of Three Teams (117 points)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 16 -- at PSU Northeast Challenge (State College, Pa.), 10 a.m.

AKRON, Ohio -- In the first event of the 2010 season, the University of Michigan women's track and field team took first place at the Akron Opener on Friday (Jan. 8), winning six events to rack up 117 points at the Stile Athletics Field House. The Wolverines out-distanced host Akron by 20 points to win the event for the third consecutive season.

U-M won all three distance events on the evening, with Danielle Tauro (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) winning the mile run (4:58.10), Rebecca Addison (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven) taking first in the 3,000m run (10:03.52) and Jillian Smith (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) crossing the finish line first in the 800m run (2:10.89).

Shana Vinson (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) led the Wolverines in the sprinting events, winning the 400m dash (55.98) and anchoring the 4x400m relay team to a victory (3:54.80). Meanwhile, Julian Purvis (Oakland, Calif./St. Elizabeth) won the 60m hurdles (8.65) to give U-M six wins on the night.

The Wolverines also picked up four runner-up finishes in the field events, coming in the long jump, weight throw, shot put and high jump.

The Wolverines will now head to Penn State University next Saturday (Jan. 16) to participate in the PSU Northeast Challenge. Joining Michigan at the event are Albany, Cornell, Georgetown, Penn, Penn State

Courtesy Michigan