Owens Leads Tiger Track & Field Teams on Saturday

March 19, 2011

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson freshman Bridgette Owens won the 100m hurdles at the Miami Invitational to highlight the Tiger track & field teams’ efforts at two different meets on Saturday. Clemson also had a group of student-athletes competing in Charlotte at the 49er Classic.

In Miami, Marlena Wesh was runner-up in the women’s 100m dash. The first-team indoor All-American from Virginia Beach, VA had a time of 11.70. Fellow newcomer Owens was the Tigers’ top performer in the 200 with a time of 24.15 and a sixth-place finish. Sonni Austin was one of five athletes to compete in the 400m dash and she owned the team’s top finish at seventh overall (56.21).

Owens was outstanding in her outdoor collegiate debut in the high hurdles. She won the event with a time of 13.44, already tied for No. 3 on Clemson’s all-time performance list. She finished ahead of sophomore Jasmine Edgerson, who had a personal best time of 13.61 which will put her seventh in Clemson’s record books. Patricia Mamona, making her senior outdoor debut, was fourth in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.69.

Wesh compiled one of the 10-best times in Clemson history in the 400m hurdles on Saturday. She placed second in the event with a time of 58.92. To cap off the day on the track, the Tiger women won the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:43.75.

In the field, April Sinkler won the women’s long jump competition. Fresh off a second-team indoor All-America performance in the event, she jumped 19’8″ on her fifth jump of the day. Mamona competed in the long jump and was third after hitting a mark of 19’4.75″. Jasmine Brunson was third in the triple jump with a leap of 40’6″.

Among the men’s competitors, Justin Murdock won the 400m dash on Saturday. He posted a time of 47.86 to lead five Clemson entries. Spencer Adams was runner-up in the 110m high hurdles, but struggled to a time of 14.21. Adams was also fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.90. Clemson’s men also won the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:14.16.

In the field, Josh Fowler won the men’s triple jump and was runner-up in the long jump. He hit a mark of 48’6″ in the triple jump. In the long jump, he had a nice start to the 2011 outdoor season with a leap of 24’1.5″ against a calm wind.

At the 49er Classic, Clemson athletes compiled four top-five finishes on Saturday.

Stephanie Buffo won the women’s 3000m steeplechase. The senior from Spartanburg, SC had a season-opening time of 10:57.70 in the event. Jasen Turnbull posted a time of 1:52.24 and was runner-up in the men’s 800m. Blake Kennedy was third in the men’s steeplechase after producing a time of 9:40.72 on the afternoon. In the shot put, Alex Padgett placed fourth with a mark of 55’0.75″.

The teams will break next week, but are slated to return to action April 1-2 at the Florida Relays.