BETTS WINS 200M, RATTERREE RUNNER-UP IN MILE AT LIBERTY KICKOFF

Saturday, December 3

Lynchburg, Va.

All Day

Radford University

Liberty Kickoff

Photo by: Justin Thompson

BETTS WINS 200M, RATTERREE RUNNER-UP IN MILE AT LIBERTY KICKOFF

12/3/2011 8:14:00 PM | Track & Field

FINAL RESULTS

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Radford track and field programs posted 14 Top-5 finishes, highlighted by Joseph Betts' (Lancaster, Va./Lancaster) victory in the 200m and Caroline Ratterree's (Falcon, Colo./Northeastern JUCO) runner-up showing in the mile to conclude the season-opening Liberty Kickoff Saturday evening.

In his first collegiate meet, Betts won the 200m with a time of 22.57. Fresh off cross country season, Ratterree finished runner-up in the mile as she clocked a 5:31.54 while Chris Weeks (Hamilton, Va./Loudoun Valley) grabbed third on the men's side with a personal-best time of 4:27.44.

Also in the men's 200m, Tehquin Warrick (Hampton, Va./Phoebus) finished third (22.68), Kaise White (Houston, Texas/Freedom) grabbed fourth (22.96) and Brett Olinger (Timberville, Va./Broadway) raced to a seventh-place finish (23.08).

The freshmen sprinters Betts and Warrick also had high finishes in the 60 and 400m. Betts took sixth as he clocked a 7.09 and Warrick had a productive meet, grabbing fifth in the 400m (51.20).

In the men's 60m hurdles, freshman Vincent Wyatt (Atlanta, Ga./William Fleming) and Olinger took second and third with their times of 8.30. Reigning Freshman of the Year Amber Church (Dublin, Va./Pulaski) also performed well in the 60m hurdles, as the 8.97 earned her fourth place.

Lakei Crews (Altavista, Va./Altavista Combined) tied for eighth in the 60m dash with a time of 7.94 while teammate Kayla Christian (New Kent County, Va./New Kent) finished 10th. Christian returned in the 200m to run a 26.84, good for ninth.

In the women's 400, Diane Wesh (Virginia Beach, Va./Landstown) crossed the finish line in fourth with a time of 1:00.53. Maggie Wissler (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Brentwood)and Shalonda Mitchell posted back-to-back showings (4th and 5th) in the 800 with times of 2:24.79 and 2:25.27, respectively.

Leaping to a fourth-place showing in the long jump was freshman Chris Henry (Urbanna, Va./Middlesex) who recorded a 6.74m / 22-01.50 distance. On the women's side, Jamiecka Baker (Lynchburg, Va./Rustburg) took sixth in the triple jump at 11.21m / 36-09.50.

In the men's weight throw, freshman Brian Uthe (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) posted a fifth-place showing with his distance of 15.75m / 51-08.25. Uthe's mark came on his very first collegiate attempt. Tyler Sturgill (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield Secondary) finished just behind Uthe in sixth with a throw of 14.16m / 46-05.50.

Highlighting women's throws was Jazmine Banks (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester), who threw the shot 11.84m / 38-10.25 to place eighth overall.

After a solid first day of the heptathlon, Phillip Hovatter (Mt. Jackson, Va./Stonewall Jackson) returned on the final day to gather the third highest total in school history with his 4,464-point performance.

Radford will be away from competition for over a month due to winter break and will return to the track on Jan. 20 to take part in the Hokie Invitational.