KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Greggmar Swift continued his preparation for the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Alex Wilson Invitational Saturday, winning his semifinal heat and the finals of the 60 meter hurdles at the University of Notre Dame.

Stacia Weatherford, Leeann Michl, Kimyanna Rudolph, and Dustin Betz each established career best efforts as the second day of the meet was conducted in the Loftus Sports Center.

Swift won his heat of the semifinals with a time of 7.93 seconds and then cruised to the win in the finals with a time of 7.15. Virginia Tech's Jeff Artis-Gray was second with a time of 7.82. Sycamore Adarius Washington ran 8.10 to finish fourth in the finals after a 8.08 finish in the semifinals while Duane Brown did not finish in the finals after a 8.19 finish in the semifinals.

Weatherford dominated her heat in the 400 meters with a time of 53.80 with her closest competitor, Iowa State's Dana Christensen, finishing in 56.77. Weatherford's time is the second fastest in school history and just behind record holder Alicia Miller who ran 53.25 in 2004. Clemson's Marlena Wesh was the overall winner in 52.98 with Weatherford seventh out of the 24 runners competiting.

Michl also posted a career best effort as she finished ninth overall in the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:07.01. Her time is the third best in Sycamore history, just behind Erica Moore's 2:04.94 set in 2008 and current Indiana State women's coach Angela (Bruecker) Martin who ran 2:06.19 in 2000. Michl edged Baylor's Olicia Williams (2:07.04) to win the third section of the event.

Shelby Higginbottom also ran in the women's 800 meters and finished 30th overall with a time of 2:13.41 which was just four-hundredths away from her career best of 2:13.37 she ran at the Meyo Invitational earlier this season.

Rudolph cleared the 13-foot barrier for the first time in her collegiate career as she tied for third in the women's pole vault with a career best height of 13-feet-2.5-inches (4.03 meters). She tied Indiana State's Nicole Hope who competed unattached as she has used up her eligibility for the indoor season but will be available for the outdoor campaign. Rudolph now ranks fifth on ISU's all-time list.

Richelle Kimble finished in eighth place by clearing 12-feet-2.75-inches (3.73 meters).

Betz ran a career best 4:05.96 in the men's mile which placed him 17th overall in the race but also moved him to second on the Indiana State all-time list. Jeremiah Vaughan holds the Sycamore record at 4:04.04. Corey Hahn also raced in the event and finished 32nd with a time of 4:13.06.

On Friday, Jessica Zangmeister edged closer to the Indiana State record in the women's 5,000 meters as she closed out her indoor season with a career best time of 17:05.02.

She was not the only Sycamore to have an outstanding day on the first day of competition. Maurice Lyke, who had a slow start to the indoor season due to injuries, closed out his indoor season on a strong note, tying his career best leap in the long jump with a distance of 24-feet-7-inches (7.49 meters).

Zangmeister finished 16th overall but lowered her personal best 5K time by four seconds. She remains second behind ISU record holder Jessica Crowder (Wayton) who ran 16:59.86 in 2005 on the same Notre Dame track.

Lyke ranks third on the ISU men's long jump all-time list. Frankie Young holds the school record at 26-feet-1.75-inches (7.97 meters) with Ron Smith second at 24-feet-7.75-inches (7.51 meters).