YPSILANTI, Mich. - Lawrence Tech University turned the EMU Bob Parks Memorial into a record-setting showcase this past Saturday at Bowen Field House, as the Blue Devils collected multiple event victories, a national qualification and a series of school records on both the track and in the field.
The headline performance came from distance standout Griffin Armbrustmacher, who broke the school record in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:27.88. The effort met the NAIA "B" standard for national qualification and currently ranks him fourth in the nation, underscoring his status as one of the top middle-distance runners in the country.
On the track, the Blue Devils produced multiple event winners and showcased depth in the sprints and hurdles. Latrice Williams captured the 60-meter hurdles title in 8.67 seconds, winning the event for the second consecutive meet and solidifying herself as a reliable scorer in the short hurdles. In the 400 meters Lawrence Tech took first and second, freshman Seth Bodary made an immediate impact by winning in 49.50, as teammate Camron Krebs crossed the line in second to complete the sweep.
The sprint group added another highlight with Alianna Lewis setting a school record in the 300 meters. Lewis stopped the clock in 43.44, establishing a new program standard, adding to the list of individual breakthroughs for the Blue Devils. The combination of Williams' repeat hurdles victory, Bodary's winning debut in the 400 and Lewis' record in the 300 underscored a strong day for Lawrence Tech's short- and mid-sprint group.
Lawrence Tech's field event athletes matched the track group's success with record-breaking performances of their own. In the horizontal jumps, Aniya Brown broke the school record in the triple jump with a mark of 10.57 meters. In the high jump, Mason Smith cleared a personal-best 1.80 meters, which also stood as a new school record, continuing the theme of program-best marks throughout the meet.
The throws unit contributed to the record haul as Bryce Butler set a school record in the weight throw, reaching 15.50 meters. Butler's performance added another dimension to Lawrence Tech's day, giving the Blue Devils record performances in the distance, sprints, jumps and throws. The breadth of improvement across event groups pointed to balanced development throughout the roster.
With multiple school records, an NAIA qualifying mark and a series of event wins, the Blue Devils used the EMU Bob Parks Memorial as a key statement. Lawrence Tech will look to build on this momentum at the SVSU Jet's Pizza Invitational, scheduled for Jan. 30-31 at the SVSU Field House in Saginaw, Mich., as the team continues to chase additional national standards and program milestones.
