Eagles Earn 11 Top 10 Finishes at Widener Invitational

CHESTER, Pa. – Juniata College outdoor track and field earned 11 top 10 finishes at the Widener Invitational over the weekend amidst tough competition.  The Eagles also broke 22 personal records during the two-day meet.  Senior Angela Shaffer (Prospect, Pa./Slippery Rock) continued to excel in the field and on the track.  She won the high jump after clearing 1.60m and placed fifth in the 100m hurdles with a 15.84 second time.

Men's Track and Field
The men's team had five top 10 finishes.  In the field, junior Justin Herr (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) placed fourth in the triple jump with a 12.61m mark.  Senior Justin Clapper (Buffalo Mills, Pa./Bedford) finished fifth in both the discus and hammer throws.  His 44.54m toss in discus was his best of the season by 1.24m.  And freshman J. R. Hemminger (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) placed seventh in the pole vault after clearing a personal best 3.90m.

On the track, the 4x400m team of Ryan Trexler (Altoona, Pa./Altoona), Connor Robinson (Asheville, N.C./Asheville), Trevor Stephens (Bethesda, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) and Michael Roth (Frederick, Md./Urbana) finished eighth in a time of 3:34.01.  Roth also placed 10^th in the 110m hurdles after crossing in a personal best 17.25 seconds.

Women's Track and Field
The women's team earned six top 10 finishes.  On top of her other two events, Shaffer also helped the 4x100m relay team place 10^th.  The combination of Shaffer, Evelyn Edwards (Carbondale, Pa./Carbondale), Shalen Perehinec (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) and Caitlyn Pingatore (Windber, Pa./Windber) finished in 53.33 seconds. 

The two Eagles competing in the steeplechase each finished top 10 while setting new personal records.  Sophomore Courtney Peterson (York, Pa./Central York) shaved 28.07 seconds off her previous best to place fifth.  Senior Kelsey Burton (Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill) took nearly an entire minute off her best time to place eighth in the event.

In the field, sophomore Chelsea Beaver (Shamokin Dam, Pa./Selinsgrove) placed seventh in the hammer with a 32.77m mark.  She also set a season-best in the discus by tossing 1.82m further than her previous best.  Freshman TJ Chance-Chin (Tampa, Fl./Tampa Preparatory) also placed among the hammer leaders.  She finished 10^th with a personal best mark of 29.55m, demolishing her previous distance by 3.75m.

Below is a list of all the student-athletes who set personal records this past weekend.  The previous bests are in parenthesis.  Juniata now prepares to compete at the 2013 Landmark Conference outdoor track and field championships April 27-28 held at Goucher College.  The Eagles have finished third on both the men and women's side for the past two years.

New Personal Records (previous records)
Nate Alter: 1500m - 4:15.31 (4:15.67)
Justin Clapper: - 44.54m (43.30)*
Joe Cook: 800m - 2:28.13 (2:29.10), 1500m- 4:52.64 (4:54.45)
JR Hemminger: Pole Vault - 3.90 (3.80)
Garret Kratina: 800m - 2:05.04 (2:06.73)
Jacob Krott: 1500m - 4:24.87 (4:25.72)
Garrett Lavelle: discus- 36.06m (34.05m)
Eli Murphy: 200m - 0:24.29 (0:24.35)*
Michael Roth: 200m - 0:23.31 (0:23.61), 100m H - 0:17.25 (0:17.64)
Nick Trapane: 1500m - 4:32.73 (first time)
Jason Ward: 400m - 0:58.96 (0:59.27)
Devon Wiser: 1500m - 4:40.39 (4:45.50)
Chelsey Beaver: Discus Throw - 31.06m (29.24m)*
Kelsey Burton: Steeplechase - 13:51.00 (14:15.49)
TJ Chance-Chin: Hammer Throw - 29.55m (25.80m)
Alyssa Cousins: 5000m - 20:00.61 (20:27.69)
Jecenia Duran: 800m - 2:31.19 (2:32.12)
Erin Gaines: 100m Hurdles - 0:18.36 (0:18.86)
Janice Jackson: Javelin - 28.04m (27.56m)*
Rose Lucidi: 200m - 29.89 (30.04)
Courtney Peterson: Steeplechase - 12:30.05 (12:58.12)
Sarah Rhodes: Shot Put - 10.02m (9.76m), Hammer Throw - 25.76 (18.70m)

*season-best

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