Women Win 25th Conference TitleTake Triple Crown With Outdoor Win

by YSU

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 4:53 pm

Rochester, Mich. - The Youngstown State women's track and field team defended its Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field title with a solid three-day performance at Oakland University. The Penguins earned their second straight Triple Crown holding off Milwaukee, 156-148 on Sunday.

The championship was the 25th conference title in the program's cross country/indoor track and field/outdoor track and field history for both the men and women. The women have now won nine outdoor titles, including three of the last four and eight since 2004. For the second consecutive season YSU won the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field titles.

Taking a sizeable lead into Sunday, the Penguins were able to fight off a hard-charging Panthers squad thanks to two wins by Nina Grambling and a key start to the day with a win in the 4x100 relay. In the 4x100, YSU had a time of 46.68 seconds beating Milwaukee by .07 seconds. Grambling ran anchor on relay team that freatured Savannah Osborne, Destiny Hall and Taylor Thompkins.

Grambling, who won the long jump on Saturday, took first in the 100m dash and 200m dash on Sunday. An impressive time of 11.95 seconds in the 100m dash gave her the title by 0.34 seconds. In the 200m dash she ran away from the field with a time of 24.16 seconds to win by 0.69 seconds.

Her performance in the 100m dash was her third straight win in the event. With the win she is the first woman in League history to win the 100m three times. Grambling now has seven Horizon League individual outdoor championships in her career.

Behind Grambling in the 100m dash was Thompkins who grabbed third place with a time of 12.34 seconds while Hall took fifth at 12.65 seconds.

In the 400m, Jennifer Shiley placed fourth in the 400m dash with a time of 56.21 seconds. She was also sixth in the 200m.

Taylor McDonald had a big performance in the 400m hurdles placing second with a time of 1:01.80. She finished sixth earlier in the 100m hurdles.

Holding a 10-point lead entering in the final event, the 4x400-meter relay, YSU finished second with a time of 3:51.74 behind Milwaukee.

In the triple jump, Ellie Pollock was third with a leap of 11.46 meters while Osborne took fifth with a distance of 11.26m.

Head Coach Brian Gorby was named the Women's Coach of the Year. Grambling earned a pair of awards, the Outstanding Running Performer of the Meet and the Women's Point Total Champion. McDonald was named the Freshman of the Meet (Running).

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