YSU women lead at HL outdoors

Staff report

INDIANAPOLIS

Led by junior Alison Roth’s victory in the discus, the Youngstown State women’s track team took an early lead in the team standings after Friday’s first day of the Horizon League outdoor championships at Butler University.

Juniors KaiCee Kubicina (Newton Falls) and Kaitlyn Griffith finished third and fourth, respectively, in the discus to help the Penguins pile up 20 points in the event.

YSU did not score in the day’s other final, the 10,000-meter run. Freshman Anna Pompeo (Poland) finished a team-best ninth.

The Penguins held a 20-18 lead over Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The Penguin women finished runner-up to Milwaukee at the Horizon indoor meet in March. YSU has won five outdoor titles since joining the league 10 years ago and has also won three indoor titles.

On the men’s side, YSU sophomore Bobby Grace placed second in the discus, while senior Sam Cassano (Fitch) and freshman George Thomas (Fitch) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

YSU is third in the team standings with 14 points, behind Butler (17) and Milwaukee (16).

Penguins senior Joe Copploe finished a team-best eighth in the 10,000.

The YSU men have never won an outdoor Horizon League title, finishing runner-up four times, including 2008-09.

The Penguins did win an indoor crown in 2003 and finished fourth at this year’s indoor meet.

Today’s schedule includes the last events for the decathlon and heptathlon as well as finals for javelin, hammer throw, long jump, pole vault and steeplechase.

The meet concludes on Sunday with finals for all running events and the shot put, high jump and triple jump.