Big 10 Women — Final Day Points Fest For Michigan

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, May 12–14 — In less than one hour on Sunday afternoon, Michigan’s women won four events on the track that helped cement the Big 10 outdoor title and gave them their first indoor/outdoor sweep since 2016.

At 1:30 p.m., discus thrower Corinne Jemison began what would become the Wolverines’ winning deluge. Although four teammates won their running events before Jemison eventually won the discus with 190-7 (58.08), she kicked it off.

A few minutes later, at 1:35 to be precise, Aasia Laurencin claimed the 100 hurdles in 12.85. Not to be outdone, Ziyah Holman popped a meet record 50.90 in the 400 just 10 minutes later. Momentum, you think? Maybe, because at 2:03 p.m. it was 800 time and Aurora Rynda did her thing, getting the better of Penn State’s Rachel Gearing, 2:05.96–2:06.28. But Michigan still wasn’t finished when the clock showed 2:18 p.m. and soph Savannah Sutherland romped to a 400H title in 55.75.

Forty points off four wins in fewer than 60 minutes with Jemison’s winning DT making it a big on the afternoon. Certainly, those points were vital for Michigan as its 139-point total held off Ohio State (123) with Nebraska (112) 3rd.

But winning the Big 10 is never easy and Ohio State didn’t make it so. The Buckeyes garnered titles in the 100 from Leah Bertrand (11.15); the 200 from Yanique Doyle (22.87); the 10K from Addie Engel in 34:43.37 in a Friday night clash with Ericka VanderLende; and the 4 x 100 (a meet record 43.17) and the 4×4 in 3:29.25.

To keep things interesting, team score-wise, Nebraska too was mounting a challenge, not surprisingly, from the field, on which Axelina Johansson dominated the shot. The soph’s 64-1¼ (19.54) closer was the No. 4 all-time collegiate throw and a Swedish record. Already the No. 5 all-time collegian with the fifth-best performance, in round 1 Johansson had strengthened her hold on those positions before her big finish.

Without precedent in the javelin, Rhema Otabor (189-9/57.85) led a 1-2-3-4 Husker sweep and Nebraska also got wins in the high jump, triple jump, shot and hammer.

BIG 10 WOMEN’S RESULTS

(5/12—10K, 400Hh, HT, JT; 5/13—100h, 400h, St, 100Hh, LJ, SP)

Teams: 1. Michigan 139; 2. Ohio State 123; 3. Nebraska 112; 4. Iowa 76; 5. Penn State 63; 6. Wisconsin 56½; 7. Minnesota 53; 8. Illinois 52½; 9. Indiana 38½; 10. Rutgers 37; 11. Michigan State 34; 12. Purdue 27½; 13….