Several Terps Post Career-Bests on Day Two of B1Gs

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Maryland track and field teams had several athletes post personal-best marks on the second day of competition at the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday at Nebraska.

Senior Chioma Onyekwere dazzled once again, smashing her career-best in the shot put by .40 meters to place second in the field. Her toss of 16.85 meters on her first throw topped her previous personal-best of 16.45 meters, as she finished as the Big Ten runner up in the event for the second time this year. The Fairfax, Va. native's performance scored eight team points for the Terps and she will gear up to compete in the discus tomorrow.

Junior Micha Powell was just over two hundredths of a second off the leader in 400 meter dash preliminaries, finishing second in the field with a mark of 53.24. Powell will next run in the finals of the event set to start at 2:40 pm CST on Sunday.

Sophomore Alexandra Lucki earned herself a spot in the 1500 meter finals after taking 12^th in the field in today's prelims. Her time of 4:27.53 puts her just seconds off the top time (4:25.59) posted today in the event, and she will move on to race tomorrow at 2:05 pm CST. Teammates Emily VandeWater (4:55.70) and Kiernan Keller (5:02.78) took 26^th and 27^th (respectively).

Junior Lisa Meneau also qualified for the second day of competition, taking fifth in the 400 meter hurdles prelims. She set a new personal best in the event, finishing in 57.95 to earn a spot in Sunday's finals (3:18 pm CST).

Sophomore Peyton Wade improved two spots from her Friday standing in the heptathlon to finish fourth in the field with a career-best 5324 points. Wade took fourth in the long jump (5.69m), fifth in the javelin (35.42m) and went 2:24.13 in the 800 to earn a spot on the podium and tally five meet points for UMD. Senior Lauren Ball also moved up two spots for a 12^th place finish with 4608 points.

Catherine Voelpel (2:11.46), Alexa Squirini (2:14.19), Rachelle Alexander (2:15.84) and Charlotte Staver (2:18.60) represented Maryland in the 800, finishing 17^th, 27^th, 29^th and 33^rd (respectively).

Senior Katie Nappi was the top finisher for Maryland in the steeplechase, taking 13th in 10.54.49, while junior Charde' Barnes was 19th (11:36.36). Catherine Sheffo ran the 10k for the Terps on Friday night, finishing 25th in 38:36.32.

Jillian Maloney set a new personal best in the javelin, throwing 39.91 meters to take 15^th in the event.

On the men's side, junior Brandon Thompson was just off a qualifying spot in the 100 dash, running a career-best 10.48 to take 11^th in the field. Teammate AJ Ruffin was 29^th, finishing in 10.84. Thompson would later set another PR in the 200 dash, taking ninth in the field with a mark of 20.97.

Junior Tom Hogarty posted a top-20 finish in the 1500, going 3:56.49. Senior Dan Trettel was also inside the top-20 in the 800 prelims, going 1:53.27 to finish 17^th in the field. Junior Paul Joseph took 13^th in the 400 hurdles prelims, finishing in 52.76. Sophomore Louis Corgliano was 12^th in the 3000 steeple crossing the line in 9:12.52.