Richmond\'s Amanda Russell runs a season-best in the 5,000 meters to win the event Friday at the Fred Hardy Track and Field facility.
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Sophomore Amanda Russell ran a 17:07.94 to win the women\'s 5000 meter race Friday at the First Annual Fred Hardy Invitational at the Fred Hardy Track and Field facility on the campus of the University of Richmond. The Spider women garnered seven Top-10 finishes on the day, while sophomore Rusty Burrell led the men with a third-place finish in the high jump with a height of 6-02.75.In all, seven NCAA Regional qualifying marks were met in the 14 events Friday. Two met qualifying standards in the women\'s 400 meter hurdles (Erin Crawford-UVa, Julianna Reed-Pittsburg), women\'s shot put (Amanda Walker-Pittsburgh, Billie Jo Grant-UVa) and men\'s pole vault (David Sullivan-UVa, Keith Higham-Pittsburg). Justin Clickett of Pittsburgh recorded an NCAA Regional mark in the men\'s shot put.
For the Spiders, along with Russell in the 5000 meters, freshman Kate Merrill came in third with a 18:19.54 and sophomore Jenna Downey came in ninth with a time of 18:41.29. Juniors Amy Thesing (1:06.20) and Kaitlyn Ryan (1:11.67) finished 10th and 14th, respectively in the 400 meter hurdles.
Richmond\'s throwers recorded three of the Top-10 places in the hammer, led by sophomore Beth Crocus, who finished second with a 159-00. Sophomores Leslie Gleue (126-00) and Lindsey Smith (120-03) took home seventh and ninth place, respectively in the hammer event. Prior to competing in the hammer, Smith and Gleue were each members of the shot put field. Smith placed 12th overall with a toss of 37-03.00 and Gleue came in 16th with a 33-08.50.
Burrell got the meet started for the men with a third-place finish in the high jump and freshmen Hunter Willis and Mike Stubbs each ran in the 5000 meters. Willis came in 10th with a 15:13.32 and Stubbs ran a 16:17.58 to place 21st.
Freshman Pete Norquist wrapped up the day for Richmond with a fifth-place time in the 10,000 meters in 33:23.88.
The Fred Hardy Invitational resumes Saturday, March 26, when the women\'s 100 meter hurdles and women\'s javelin get underway at 10 a.m. Track events are scheduled throughout the day with the men\'s 1600 meter relay slated as the day\'s final event at approximately 2:30 p.m. The women\'s discus is scheduled as the day\'s final field event. The women will follow the men\'s discus which is scheduled to start at approximately 12:20 p.m.