Winters and the Underclassmen Impress at UD Spartan Invite
Feb 21, 2015 | None
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Freshman Ernest Winters won the 200 meters and posted the ninth-fastest 200 meters (22.22) in the country and fellow classmate Alec Bass broke the UD school record in the mile (4:24.72) to lead the University of Dubuque men’s track and field team to a third-place finish on Saturday at their very own UD Spartan Invite.
The Spartans (103 points) defeated Iowa Conference opponents, Loras (77) and Luther (34), in the nine-team meet as Augustana (Ill.) took home the team title with 140 points.
Winters now leads the Iowa Conference in the 60 meters and the 200 meters by a wide margin heading into next week’s IIAC Championships at Wartburg. Winters 60 meter time (6.94) set earlier this year places him fourth in the nation and his 200 meter time (22.22) places him second in UD school history.
The competition lurks close behind as UD senior Kyle Williams sits in second overall in the IIAC with a 60 meter time of 6.94 (a converted 55 meters) and freshman Deshond Robinson sports the second-fastest 200 meters (22.42).
Williams (6.45) won the 55 meters and beat Winters (2nd, 6.47), Robinson (5th, 6.69), and freshman Easton McDaniel (8th, 6.77) in the 55 meters at today’s meet.
Robinson snagged a come-from-behind victory after taking his first lead with less than 50 meters to go in the 400 and set a personal best time of 50.12. That time has him in second overall in the IIAC.
The Spartans’ sprinting contingent owns five of the top-6 60-meter times and five of the Top-8 200-meter times in the Iowa Conference.
Bass earned a seventh-place showing in the mile as he set a personal record by over seven seconds. Bass’ time currently sits 11th in the IIAC.
Following up Bass’ school record was sophomore DuVaun Goodlow who reset his school record in the high jump with a leap of 2.06m/6’9”. The jump has him in seventh-place nationally.
Other notables include:
Sophomore Nicholas Kazmierczak’s third place finish in the pole vault (4.38m/14’4.5”). His 14’5.25” vault last week leads the IIAC.
Junior Payton Nevills’ fourth place showing in the 3000 meters thanks to a season-best time of 9:04.36.
Freshman Colby Rattenborg’s fifth-place leap in the long jump (6.54m/21’5.5”), a personal best.
Freshman Clayton Gray (8.23) and senior Tyler Dobratz (8.40) placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 55 meter hurdles.
The Spartans suit up for next weekend’s two-day IIAC Championships hosted by Wartburg. The festivities begin on February 27 and continue through February 28.
