Johnson City, TN - East Tennessee State University hosted the 31
st Niswonger Invitational and over 1400 collegiate and post-collegiate athletes this weekend at the Memorial Center. It was the opening indoor track meet for many of the Bryan College Track and Field Team.
Junior Josh Bradley (Ringgold, GA) had a successful weekend with a 7th place finish in the top section of the 800 meter run with a run of 1:54.14 on Friday afternoon and followed it up with a 6th place finish in the Invitational Mile with a new personal best of 4:19.48 on Saturday evening, an automatic NAIA Indoor qualifying mark.
Freshmen made a splash for the Lions as Josh Ball (Tellico Plains, TN) set two school records. First in the 60 meter hurdles (8.96) during the Friday morning session and then in the 200 meter dash (23.04) later that evening. Ericka Simpson (Grayson, GA) set a school record in the 3000 meter run when she won the 3rd section in 11:25.79. Junior Bailey Payne (Pikeville, TN) was second to her rookie teammate in 11:28.72. The final school record of the weekend went to freshmen Alyssia Lindsay (Spring City, TN) who finished 10th in the third section of the women's 800 meter run in 2:33.02.
Other notable performances came from Sophomore Hunter Hall (Brentwood, TN) and freshmen Matt Wren (Ooltewah, TN) with 3000 meter performances of 9:19.65 and 9:24.76. Sophomore Zach Buffington ran 4:33.62 to finish 12th in the top morning section of the men's mile run.
Bryson Harper, competing unattached, won the second section of the men's 3k run with a time of 8:57.22.
"Our freshmen had a great showing this weekend and it was their first taste of indoor track in their careers. Josh Ball is a special athlete with a big future. Bradley competed well, but didn't have his normal zip. I was especially happy with how well our ladies competed. There is a lot of room for improvement for all our athletes and that is what we'll look to in the weeks ahead," said Head Coach Rodney Stoker.
2009 Niswonger Invitational Results
The Lions will travel to the University of the South to compete in the Sewanee Tiger Indoor Invite on Saturday, February 7th
