Western Courier

Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa Sophomore Brian Pinta competes in the long jump as part of the decathlon at the Lee Calhoun Memorial.

Sophomore Brian Pinta is in first place after five events in the decathlon at the 19th Annual Lee Calhoun Memorial at Hanson Field. The Wheaton, Ill., native recorded 3,375 points and leads Terell Williams (3,368 points) from UIC by seven points.

Pinta moved into first after recording first-place finishes in high jump and the 400-meter dash. He jumped 1.92m (6'03.5") for a personal best in the high jump and followed that with a career-best time in the 400-meter dash (50.85 seconds). Pinta also ran a personal best in the 100-meter dash to start out the day (11.47).

Sophomore Tony Odele is in fourth place with 3,106 points. Brent Rehkemper from Southern Illinois-Edwardsville is in third (3,368 points). Michael Laabs (Marquette) is fifth with 3,093 points, Ben Traxler (Lincoln College) is in sixth with 3,031 points and Michael Cooper (Lincoln College) rounds out the field with 2,901 points.

Odele earned a first-place finish of his own in the shot put, with a mark of 13.30m (43'07.75"). The Springfield, Ill., native also set a career-best time in the 400-meter dash, finishing in 53.28 seconds.

On the women's side, senior Heather Wetzel is in third place in the heptathlon, with 2,445 points. Deserea Brown from Southern Illinois-Edwardsville is the leader with 2,818 points, while teammate Amber Triner is in second with 2,597 points. The final athlete in the field is Melissa Vandolah (Lincoln College), with 1,328 points.

Wetzel earned a first-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 10.23m (33'06.75").

Day 2 of the decathlon will begin Friday at 9 a.m., with the heptathlon final events starting at 10 a.m. Friday's schedule also features four exhibition events slated to begin at 4 p.m. The events are the 4x200-meter relay, shuttle hurdle relay, 3,000-meter run and 4x800-meter relay.

-Western Illinois University
Athletics Media Services

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