Sprinters, Padgett Lead Clemson Track & Field at Florida Relays

April 4, 2009

Gainesville, FL – Clemson’s runner-up finish in the men’s 4x100m relay highlighted the final day of competition for the Tiger track & field teams at the Pepsi Florida Relays. The 4×1 team won its section and qualified for the East Region Championships, the meet which serves as the pathway to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

The relay team consisted of C.J. Spiller, Jacoby Ford, and Justin Murdock. The group posted a time of 39.42 in their first meet of the season, second-best time only to host Florida. However, Florida and Clemson were in separate heats and both coasted to victory.

In other relay action, the women’s 4x800m relay team finished eighth among 14 teams. The group posted a time of 9:08.98 and was composed of Candace Sapp. Clemson’s time was a six-second improvement from the Shamrock Invitational two weeks ago to start the outdoor season.

The men’s 4x400m relay team finished 24th on Saturday. Miller Moss, Murdock, Noble, and Swaggard put together a time of 3:16.07.

Kristine Scott competed Saturday in the 200m dash and came home with a 12th-place showing. The junior from Orlando, FL posted a time of 24.20 in the second heat.

In the 5000m, Kim Ruck was runner-up in the women’s open section. She had a time of 17:41.05. She finished ahead of teammates Sunday Ford (6th – 18:07.19) and Jenna Baker (10th – 18:16.19). Jonathan Sunde placed 10th in the men’s 5K race, posting a time of 15:06.77.

Alex Padgett was outstanding in the men’s hammer throw competition Saturday. The sophomore out of Rock Hill, SC finished fourth, but moved up Clemson’s all-time performance list after executing well in a series of throws. Four of his six throws topped his previous best in the event. His top mark was a throw of 192’7″ on his second attempt. Padgett’s distance is good enough for third place in the school’s record books for the event. It was also Padgett’s first-ever qualification for the NCAA East Region Championships.

He bypassed Zach Berg in his way into third place on the school’s hammer throw charts. Speaking of Berg, the injury-plagued junior was in action Saturday. He had a throw of 173’1″ in his second attempt and is hoping for a shot at qualifying for the top flight two weeks from now at the ACC outdoor meet.

Scott Pauga was sixth in the men’s javelin. The junior from Willowbrook, IL, who has already qualified for regionals, had a top throw of 200’6″ before fouling on four of his final five throws. In the women’s javelin, Bethanie Wachna made her season debut a successful one with a fourth-place finish. The junior from Ontario, Canada had a throw of 137’1″.

The team returns to action next weekend in what will be its final tune-up for the 2009 ACC Outdoor Championships, which will be held April 16-18 at the University of Miami (FL).