May 5, 2008

Merrill Improves Shot Put Record as Penguins Ready for League Meet

    Youngstown -- Youngstown State sophomore Aaron Merrill broke his own school record and improved his national ranking in the shot put over the weekend as the Penguins had their final tune-up for the Horizon League Championships.
    Merrill posted a mark of 58-9 1/4 at the Butler Twilight to win the event by six feet, and he now unofficially ranks 24th in the country according to trackshark.com.
    The sophomore from Leetonia, Ohio, will look to sweep the shot put for the year at the Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held on YSU's campus on Thursday and Friday. Merrill won the indoor event by 6 1/2 feet, and he holds the circuit's top outdoor distance by more than seven feet.
    John Pallini, the conference runner-up during the indoor season, added a sixth-place effort in the shot put at the Butler Twilight. Harold Jones placed second in the 800m (1:56.44) as the only YSU runner to compete.
    Bethany Anderson highlighted the women's performances by winning the hammer (172-7) and throwing a season-best 43-8 in the shot put to place third. Alexis Hall added a fifth-place mark (148-9) in the hammer.
    At the Toledo Invitational on Friday, Emily Wollet finished third in the 400m (58.36) while Kari Kretuzfeld finished fifth (58.51). Jennifer Roman placed sixth in the 800m with a season-best time of 2:19.86, and Katy Wells finished sixth in the 100m hurdles.
    Marissa Opper finished fifth in the discus with a personal-best mark of 133-5.