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It didn't take the Ashland University hammer throwers very long to make an impression to begin the 2018 outdoor track season.
On Friday (March 23), on Day 1 of the Weems Baskin Invitational in Columbia, S.C., six men's and women's hammer throwers earned provisional marks for 2018 NCAA Division II outdoor nationals, May 24-26 in Charlotte, N.C.
In the men's hammer invite category, sophomore Alex Hill not only finished in third place with a top heave of 63.11 meters/207-feet-0, he PRed by a whopping 4.03 meters. Freshman Brent Fairbanks took fifth at 59.41 meters/194-feet-11, while sophomore Nick Zak was eighth at 57.14 meters/187-feet-5.
The breakout performer in the women's hammer invite grouping was junior Mackenzie Leigh, who took fourth at 58.15 meters/190-feet-9. That distance was a new PR by 1.51 meters. Senior Megan Tomei was seventh (56.39 meters/185-feet-0), while junior Natalie Helenthal was ninth (54.72 meters/179-feet-6).
The men's 4x800-meter relay team of senior Ryan VanCauwenbergh, freshmen Jake Hall and Ian Johnson, and junior Tyler Sievert took second place in 7:50.79.
UP NEXT: Day 2 of the Weems Baskin Invitational on Saturday (March 24).
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