March 26, 2016

By Lizzie Mikes

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame track and field program finished competition Saturday in both the Yellow Jacket Invitational, and the Raleigh Relays. The top finisher for the Irish was senior Kaila Barber, who won both the 100m and 400m hurdle races in Atlanta.

Kaila Barber won both hurdle races in Atlanta Saturday.

Barber won the 100m with a time of 13.04, and went on to cross the finish line in 57.53 in the 400m event. Joining her in the 100m was graduate student Carly Loeffel, who clocked in at 14.71. Jordan Shead (sixth, 1:00.04) and Mikaila Chamblee (11th, 1:01.88) also ran in the 400m race.

Additionally, the Irish raced in three other track events and two relays, and saw Loeffel, Alexa Coubal, Lena Madison and Brett Whalen compete in four field events. Kyla Lewis earned a pair of 11th-place finishes in the 100m dash (12.05) and 200m dash (24.48). Loeffel also crossed in 25.44 seconds in the 200m dash. Running in the 400m dash, Parker English (55.34) and Payton Miller (56.75) came in seventh and 12th respectively.

Barber, English, Lewis and Miller joined forces in the 4x100m relay, finishing fifth with a time of 46.01. In the 4x400m relay, Shead, Barber, Miller and English crossed in third place (3:37.96).

In the field portion of the day, Loeffel was entered in long jump, earning a mark of 5.45m. Alexa Coubal had the highest finish of any women’s field performer, taking sixth in the shot put (12.54m). Coubal (39.32m) and Lena Madison (42.49m) also competed in discus, with Madison taking ninth and Coubal, 12th. Brett Whalen closed out the day in the javelin throw, finishing seventh (37.36m).

On the men’s team, Alex Groesch, Brent Swanberg, Drake Stimson, Matthew Birzer and Hunter Holton all competed Saturday. Groesch took sixth in the 400m (48.11) and crossed the finish line in 21.80 seconds in the 200m dash. Swanberg clocked in at 53.26 in the 400m, and went on to finish 17th in the 100m hurdles event (15.54). Stimson was the lone entrant in the 400m (53.83), taking eighth place.

In the field events, Birzer earned fourth place in the men’s high jump with his 2.05m mark, while Holton finished eighth (2.00m). Swanberg took sixth in the javelin throw (48.05m).

In Raleigh at the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State, Stephanie Knight, Kelly Hart and Samantha Murray all competed in the women’s 800m race, while Andrew Stone and Grant Koch ran in the men’s 800m event. Knight had the top women’s finish in ninth (2:11.84), with hart finishing in 2:14.59 and Murray, 2:19.11. Stone had the faster time of the two Irish men (1:53.18) while Koch crossed the line in 1:53.60.

The Irish continue the outdoor season next weekend out at the Stanford Invitational, in Palo Alto, California.

Yellow Jacket Results

W 100m dash

11.Kyla Lewis 12.05

W 200m dash

11. Kyla Lewis 24.48
28. Carly Loeffel 25.44

W 400m dash

7. Parker English 55.34
12. Payton Miller 56.75

W 100m Hurdles

1. Kaila Barber 13.04
20. Carly Loeffel 14.71

W 400m hurdles

1. Kaila Barber 57.53
6. Jordan Shead 1:00.04
11. Mikaila Chamblee 1:01.88

W 4x100m relay

5. Kaila Barber, Parker English, Kyla Lewis, Payton Miller 46.01

W 4x400m relay

3. Jordan Shead, Kaila Barber, Payton Miller, Parker English 3:37.96

W Long Jump

16. Carly Loeffel 5.45m

W Shot Put

6. Alexa Coubal 12.54m

W Discus Throw

9. Lena Madison 42.49m
12. Alexa Coubal 39.32m

W Javelin throw

7. Brett Whalen 37.36m

M 200m dash

17. Alex Groesch 21.80

M 400m dash

6. Alex Groesch 48.11
21. Brent Swanberg 53.26

M 110m hurdles

17. Brent Swanberg 15.54

M 400m hurdles

8. Drake Stimson 53.83

M high jump

4. Matthew Birzer 2.05m
8. Hunter Holton 2.00m

M Javelin throw

6. Brent Swanberg 48.05m

Raleigh Relays

W 800m

9. Stephanie Knight 2:11.84
19. Kelly Hart 2:14.59
21. Samantha Murray 2:19.11

M 800m

16. Andrew Stone 1:53.18
20. Grant Koch 1:53.60

— ND —

Lizzie Mikes serves as Media Services Coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. A 2013 graduate of Johnson & Wales University, she oversees credential management and is the athletic communications director for Fighting Irish men’s and women’s swimming and diving and track and field. She has assisted with numerous NCAA postseason events hosted by Notre Dame, and is heavily involved in the day-to-day tasks of the athletic communications office.