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Cheese Chases Zips' Long Jump Record, Barber Named Athlete of the Meet
February 09 | Track & Field
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Virginia Tech Results | SPIRE Results
AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron senior Brittany Cheese became just the second athlete in school history to surpass the 20-foot barrier in the women's long jump as a host of Zips achieved personal records at two different meets Saturday.
Cheese, who was one of 32 Zips competing at the SPIRE D1 Team Invitational in Geneva, Ohio, captured first place in the long jump with a huge leap of 20-00.25.
With the mark, Cheese recorded the second-best jump in school history and joins Christi Smith, who won the NCAA National Championship in the women's heptathlon in 2000, as the only female athletes in the history of the Zips' program to clear 20 feet in the event. Smith is the school's all-time record holder with a jump of 20-04.25.
Cheese cruised to the win as her jump was nearly four inches better than the next closest competitor among 35 athletes. As if that wasn't enough, Cheese also posted the third-fastest time in school history in the 60-meter hurdles – crossing the line in 8.61 – during the preliminary round.
In all, Cheese was one of two event winners on the day for the Zips as Shawn Barber picked up a similarly easy victory in the men's pole vault as one of seven UA athletes in action at the "Doc" Hale Virginia Tech Elite in Blacksburg, Va.
Barber cleared 18-01.00 to earn his fifth win in as many meets this winter and was named Athlete of the Meet as a result. Virginia Tech's Stephan Munz finished a distant second with a top jump of 17-05.00.
On the women's side, Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, the defending Mid-American Conference Outdoor Pole Vault Champion, placed fifth with a season-best vault of 13-02.25 while Claire Lucas matched the height to establish a personal record.
A number of UA runners also turned in strong performances on the day, led by sophomore Kyle Cochrun and freshman Bryce Cheek. Cochrun ran the 3,000-meters in 8:22.23 to record the fourth-fastest time in school history and Cheek just missed the top-five list in the 60-meters while finishing first in the preliminary heat with a time of 6.84. It has been an impressive two days for Cheek, who recorded the school's fifth-fastest time in the 200-meters (22.01) Friday night.
Posting personal records on the women's side, Kayla Whitlow finished the 800-meters in 2:10.91 and Morgan Willis ran the mile in 4:56.32.
The Zips also saw continued improvement from their two 4x400 relay teams. The men's squad, which was comprised of Julius Ruby Jr., Jake Hiltner, Gabriel Genovesi and Nick Owens, finished in 3:14.12 while the women's foursome of JaQuana Threats, Shauniece Steele, Skyler Willis and Mycah Mason ran a time of 3:48.49. Both marks represented season bests.
Akron's preparation for the 2013 MAC Indoor Championships, which will be hosted by Eastern Michigan University from Feb. 22-23, continues next weekend it hosts the Zips Invitational at Stile Athletics Field House on Fri., Feb. 15.
RESULTS – "Doc" Hale VT Elite
Feb. 9, 2013 | Virginia Tech | Rector Field House | Blacksburg, Va.
MEN'S RESULTS
Pole Vault: 1. Shawn Barber, 18-01.00, 5. Joe Wesley, 17-01.00, 10. Shawn Light, 16-01.25.
WOMEN'S RESULTS
Pole Vault: 5. Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, 13-02.25, 6. Claire Lucas, 13-02.25, 9. Alexandra Wood, 12-08.25, 10. Chelsey Detwiler, 12-08.25.
RESULTS – SPIRE D1 Team Invitational
Feb. 9, 2013 | Spire Institute | Geneva, Ohio
MEN'S RESULTS
60m (prelim): 1. Bryce Cheek, 6.84 (q), 13. Malachi Freeman, 7.01, 45. Bjorn Johansson, 7.40; 60m (finals): 3. Bryce Cheek, 6.88; 400m: 27. Nick Owens, 49.68, 28. Sean Weems, 50.37; 800m: 11. Jake Hiltner, 1:52.11, 28. Marcus Mazzaferri, 1:53.84, 32. James Gnecco, 1:54.64; 3,000m: 8. Kyle Cochrun, 8:22.23, 28. Trevor Norris, 8:35.46, 31. Dylan Papp, 8:36.68, 34. Aaron Howkins, 8:43.61; 60m Hurdles (prelim): 19. Kyle Walker, 8.33, 28. Alex McCune, 8.47, 31. Bjorn Johansson, 8.60, 33. Bryan Jones, 8.72; 4x400 Relay: 9. Akron (Ruby Jr., Hiltner, Genovesi, Owens), 3:14.12; High Jump: 9. Martel Durant, 6-09.75, 20. Jakob Leon, 6-06.00, Long Jump: 5. Bryan Jones, 22-09.00, 7. Alex McCune, 22-08.00, 8. Joe Oduho, 22-05.75, 16. Darien Spann, 21-08.75; Triple Jump: 8. John Dahlstrand, 48-00.50; Shot Put: 36. Bjorn Johansson, 45-08.50.
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m (prelim): 19. Rachel Christian, 7.73, 38. Noelle Bradley, 7.94, 48. Alex Allen, 8.19; 800m: 22. Kayla Whitlow, 2:10.91, 34. Karlie Lieberth, 2:15.35, 41. Mycah Mason, 2:19.38; Mile: 19. Morgan Willis, 4:56.32, 41. Irene Frangos, 5:22.19; 3,000m: 43. Jillian Roth, 10:15.56; 60m Hurdles (prelim): 13. Brittany Cheese, 8.61, 24. Skyler Willis, 8.82, 35. Alex Allen, 9.19; 4x400 Relay: 12. Akron (Threats, Steele, S. Willis, Mason), 3:48.49; High Jump: 4. Gabriela Szkolnicka, 5-07.00; Long Jump: 1. Brittany Cheese, 20-00.25, 9. Katherine Lee, 17-11.00, 15. Noelle Bradley, 17-00.00, 30. Skyler Willis, 16-06.00; Triple Jump: 18. Iyisha Weaver, 37-08.00.
