March 17, 2017
By Megan Golden
ATLANTA — The University of Notre Dame track and field team opened its outdoor season at Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jacket Invitational on Friday. The Irish recorded seven top-three finishes at their first outdoor meet of the season.
The Irish were led by junior Jordan Shead, who ran the 400m hurdles in 59.66. The first-place finish is just .06 shy from her personal record, which she set at the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Shead, junior Payton Miller and freshmen Summer Thorpe and Grace Cronin combined to place third in the women’s 4x400m with a time of 3:45.54.
Miller also finished in sixth place in the women’s 400m dash, recording a time of 55.49.
The women’s 4x100m relay squad — featuring Thorpe, sophomore Kyla Lewis and freshmen Michaela Butler and Naya Sharp — recorded first place (46.39) overall.
Senior Anthony Shivers threw 60.98m in the men’s hammer throw, and freshman Abbey Kapitan threw 42.13m in the women’s hammer throw.
In other field events, senior Taylor Craft finished second in the triple jump, going 12.13m. Freshman Kassadee Ifft jumped 3.55m, good for fifth place in the women’s pole vault. Senior Indi Jackson — the school record-holder — threw 15.05m in the women’s shot put.
Coming Up Next
The Irish return to action at the Raleigh Relays at Noon ET on March 24-25 at North Carolina State’s Paul Derr Track.
For a closer, behind-the-scenes look at the Irish track and field program, follow @NDXCTF on Twitter.
Top Irish Finishers
Men’s Hammer Throw:
3. Anthony Shivers – 60.98m
Women’s Hammer Throw:
10. Abbey Kapitan – 42.13m
Men’s Long Jump:
9. Carter Sorenson – 6.22m
Women’s Pole Vault:
5. Kassadee Ifft – 3.55m
Men’s Shot Put:
5. Daniel Hardiman – 14.68m
Women’s Shot Put:
3. Indi Jackson – 15.05m
Women’s Javelin:
10. Brett Whalen – 37.05m
Men’s Javelin:
7. Carter Sorenson – 49.68m
Men’s High Jump:
3. Matthew Birzer – 2.05m
Women’s 4×100 Relay:
1. Notre Dame – 46.39
Women’s 100m Hurdles:
4. Summer Thorpe – 13.88
Men’s 110m Hurdles:
7. Carter Sorenson – 17.62
Women’s Triple Jump:
2. Taylor Craft – 12.13m
Men’s 400m:
12. John Rutkowski – 48.29
Women’s 400m:
6. Payton Miller – 55.49
Men’s Discus:
4. Shae Watkins – 46.89m
Women’s Discus:
7. Alexa Coubal – 41.92m
Men’s 100m:
6. Tommy Grant – 10.90
Women’s 100m:
8. Michaela Butler – 12.12
Men’s 400m Hurdles:
4. Drake Stimson – 54.89
Women’s 400m Hurdles:
1. Jordan Shead – 59.66
Men’s 200m:
11. Zachary Zajdel – 21.99
Women’s 200m:
15. Kyla Lewis – 24.95
Women’s 4x400m:
3. Notre Dame – 3:45.54
–ND–
Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.