Florida Tech Finds Their Groove In Final Day Of Spikes Classic

By  //  April 5, 2015

Rachel Tobin finished second overall

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Florida Tech’s track & field teams completed the second day of the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic with high ranks on Saturday. (Photo by Austin Coffey)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech’s track & field teams completed the second day of the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic with high ranks on Saturday.

The Panthers started day two with the men’s shot put competition. Sophomore Nathan Knox finished fifth overall in the event with a throw of 12.60 meters. Knox then performed in the men’s discus throw, claiming third placed with a long toss of 42.76 meters

In the women’s 100 meter hurdles, freshman Alexis Santiago won the event with a time of 14.37. Fellow freshman Maia Carter finished in the third slot with a run of 15.07.

Rachel Tobin
Rachel Tobin

Freshman Rachel Tobin finished second overall in the women’s 100 meter dash final with a time of 12.31, just behind first place Phil Healy of the Ireland National Team, who had a run of 12.20.

In the 200 meter dash, Tobin claimed second place with a run of 24.18. She was beat out by an unattached runner, who ran a time of 23.98.

Florida Tech women’s team of JoeMarie Reid, Tobin, Carter and Santiago placed second in the 4×100 meter relay with a time of 47.81.

The Panthers’ run set a new school record, shattering the previous mark of 48.30.

Junior Noelle Novakowski competed in the women’s heptathlon, finishing eighth overall in the event. She is the program’s first athlete to participate in the heptathlon.

Sophomore Terence Brookins finished eighth overall in the men’s 400 meter dash with a time of 48.61.

Brookins’ run set a new school record in the event.

Sophomore Nickolas Lenssen claimed ninth place in the men’s 800 meter run with a time of 1:57.80.

The track & field teams are back in action in two weeks at the Peach Belt Conference Championships on April 16-18 in Montevallo, Alabama.

Pete Mazzone
Pete Mazzone

“All in all, it was a long day but a good day at the Spikes Classic,” said head coach Pete Mazzone.

“Alexis and Rachel, again, had a big day in their respective finals as well as helping their 4×100 team to a new record time. I am proud of Noelle’s performance in the heptathlon, she was the first ever athlete in our program to compete in the event.”

“The entire team will continue working and getting ready for the conference meet in two weeks,” said Mazzone