Murfin Climbs National Ranks at UW-Platteville Last Chance
Mar 5, 2016
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Freshman and Iowa Conference shot put champion, Blaze Murfin, moved up to 15th in the country with a weight throw toss and new school record of 17.79m/58-4.5 at the UW-Platteville Last Chance meet on Friday.
For now, Murfin has the last qualifying spot for the NCAA Indoor National Championships as the Top-15 marks in each men’s individual event and Top-17 on the women’s side will head to the National meet. A number of last chance meets will take place throughout the country this weekend.
It was nearly a two-and-a-half foot personal record for the freshman and moved past teammate and Iowa Conference indoor weight throw champion Mario-John Otchere’s mark of 56-1 set at the Iowa Conference indoor championships. Otchere is currently 24th nationally.
Murfin is 27th nationally in the shot put (15.77m/51-9).
No team scores were taken as a select number of individuals competed for the Spartans as the indoor season nears its conclusion.
Other men’s highlights include personal records by Clayton Gray in the 60m (7.13), Scott Taylor in the shot put (13.05m/42-9.75) and Alex Schleuter in the pole vault (4.10m/13-5.25).
On the women’s side, Tanasha Atwater led five throwers competing in the shot put and weight throw. The sophomore and Iowa Conference shot put champion, fell short of improving her national mark (16.80m/55-1.5) in the weight throw. Atwater currently sits 20th nationally in the weight throw and 7th in the shot put.
The Spartans head to the UW-Stevens Point Last Chance meet on Saturday, March 5, to conclude their indoor season.
