Big Performances Pace Bearcats at Jim Green Invite

CINCINNATI - The first meet on the 2020 calendar is in the books with the University of Cincinnati track & field program collecting several more strong performances on the final day of the Jim Green Invitational in Lexington, Ky., include three marks that landed Bearcats on the program's all-time Top 10. Along with the trio of top marks, Bearcats combined to win one event and tallied nine more personal bests.

// WEATHER DELAY
The start of Saturday's action was first delayed and then came under the cover of darkness as a powerful wind storm knocked out power to much of the UK campus, including the indoor track facility, causing a nearly two-hour delay. There was, however, one event that started before the lights came back on as the women's shot put competition started in darkness as a security light above the circle allowed the meet to get underway.

// CLIMBING HIGH
Austin Goolsby provided one of the biggest performances of the day as the sophomore took second in the men's pole vault by clearing a personal-best height of 5.05m (16-06.75) to not only tie for the #9 position all-time in program history, but also become just the 12th man in UC history to clear 5-meters indoors. Goolsby opened the day passing the first four heights before needing a second-attempt clearance at 4.75m (15-07.00) to get on the board. He then cleared 4.90m (16-00.75) on his first attempt to post his then-best of the season before clearing 5.05m on his first attempt as well. Goolsby, who missed three attempts at 5.20m (17-00.75), added his name to the all-time Top 10 and, while tying current multi-event and high jump coach Chris Wineberg for ninth, became just the fourth man since 2009 to clear 5m.

// ROOKIE RANKING
Freshman Maddie Walker made her track debut for the Bearcats count as she took part in the women's 3,000m run where she finished third overall in 9:55.27. The rookie's run not only finished highly in the race, but also vaulted her into the all-time Top 10 at UC as she currently sits #4 all-time. Now one of four women currently racing for UC that rank in the Top 10, Walker nearly took over the #3 position, but came up just shy as current teammate Hannah Markel is ahead of Walker by 0.05 seconds after she ran 9:55.22 in 2018.

// BIENENFELD BACK AT IT
Aaron Bienenfeld recently returned to the States and made his senior season track debut by running in the mile where he placed second overall in 4:07.17. Bienenfeld, who won all four cross country races he ran this fall before earning a berth in the U23 European Championships with Germany, wore the Bearcat uniform once again and posted the #5 time in program history as well. He entered ranked sixth all-time at 4:10.12 and moved up to #5 while passing Bill Beatty, who ran 4:09.54 in 1969. Bienenfeld is now just the sixth UC man to run under 4:10 in the indoor mile in program history.

// STRONG FINISHES • WOMEN
The field events saw several solid finishes for the UC women, including the triple jump and shot put. In the triple jump, Irati Mitxelena posted the only victory of the weekend for the Bearcats as she bounced her way to a season-best mark of 12.79m (41-11.50) while teammate Kennedy Marable finished third with a best of 12.34m (40-06.00). In the shot put, three of the four UC women advanced to the final with Malin Smith taking runner-up honors as she posted a season-best mark of 15.57m (51-01.00).

// STRONG FINISHES • MEN
Two other men placed highly in their events on the day as well. On the track, Arthur Greenlee IV ran 7.87 in the semifinal of the 60m hurdles to post the top qualifying time before finishing third overall in 7.84 in the final. In the triple jump, Andre Wright opened his season with a best of 15.23m (49-11.75) to place fourth.

// PERSONAL BESTS • WOMEN
Three other women added PRs to the mix with one in the sprints and three at distance. In the short event, Caisja Chandler ran 56.87 in the 400m to finish sixth overall and just missed a spot in the all-time Top 10 by 0.59 seconds. In the mile, two of the seven Bearcats racing posted PRs, including Madalyn O'Dea and Carmela Henning as the sophomore ran 5:13.45 and the freshman 5:16.99, respectively.

// PERSONAL BESTS • MEN
Two men also posted PRs on the day with rookie Tyler Wirth leading the way with two of his own. The freshman first ran 4:12.42 in the mile to place seventh overall and then doubled back to run 1:55.42 to place eighth in 800m. In the 3,000m, Toni Banos ran 8:37.48 to finish sixth overall while recording his PR.

// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will take next weekend off from competition before returning to Lexington to take part in the 2020 Rod McCravy Memorial. The two-day meet will be held at the Nutter Field House January 24-25.

2020 JIM GREEN INVITATIONAL
Nutter Field House • Lexington, Ky.
January 11, 2020 • DAY 2
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m HURDLES
Semifinal
15. Victoria Abunaw • 8.81
16. Angelica Lightfoot • 8.93

400m DASH
6. Caisja Chandler • 56.87 • PR

800m RUN
23. Jen Cooper • 2:30.14

MILE RUN
12. Sam Mikula • 5:04.16
25. Rylee Penn • 5:13.32
26. Madalyn O'Dea • 5:13.45 • PR
29. Sydney Hess • 5:16.47
30. Carmela Henning • 5:16.99 • PR
33. Leah Maschino • 5:18.58
42. Katie Engle • 5:32.39

3,000m RUN
3. Maddie Walker • 9:55.27 • PR & UC #4
8. Lauren Kemper • 10:12.57
9. Katrina Patterson • 10:13.78
22. Ellee Bullock • 11:11.76
24. Anna Evans • 11:16.07

4x400m RELAY
15. Cincinnati • 4:09.41
    Kylie Cutlip, Caisja Chandler, Leah King, Victoria Abunaw

TRIPLE JUMP
1. Irati Mitxelena • 12.79m (41-11.50) • SB
3. Kennedy Marable • 12.34m (40-06.00)

SHOT PUT
2. Malin Smith • 15.57m (51-01.00) • SB
8. Hannah Jackson • 13.45m (44-01.50)
9. Jane Sensibaugh • 13.38m (43-10.75)
11. Izzy Kline • 12.79m (41-11.50)

MEN'S RESULTS
60m DASH
Semifinal
8. Isaiah McCall • 6.96 • qualified to final (did not run the final)
13. Arthur Greenlee IV • 7.02

60m HURDLES
Semifinal
1. Arthur Greenlee IV • 7.87 • qualified to final
FINAL
3. Arthur Greenlee IV • 7.84

800m RUN
7. Logan Baker • 1:55.39
8. Tyler Wirth • 1:55.42 • PR
11. Jase Headings • 1:57.02
16. David Endres • 1:58.58

MILE RUN
2. Aaron Bienenfeld • 4:07.17 • PR & UC #5
7. Tyler Wirth • 4:12.42 • PR
26. Matt Stump • 4:21.41 • SB

3,000m RUN
6. Toni Banos • 8:37.48 • PR

4x400m RELAY
-- Cincinnati • DNF
    Jase Headings, Logan Baker, David Endres, Chris Borzor

TRIPLE JUMP
4. Andre Wright • 15.23m (49-11.75)

POLE VAULT
2. Austin Goolsby • 5.05m (16-06.75) • SB, PR & UC #9 (tie)
t4. Nicholas Lauria • 4.75m (15-07.00) • SB
11. Damien Berthenet • 4.30m (14-01.25)

SHOT PUT
8. Aaron Deaton • 16.65m (54-07.50)
10. Sam Meece • 16.49m (54-01.25)
12. Danny Jones • 15.50m (50-10.25)