Bassitt Stays Blazing As Eagle Men, Women Return To Action At YSU

Trevor Bassitt obviously wasn't concerned about a six-week layoff.

Bassitt and the Ashland University men's and women's indoor track and field teams returned to action for the second meet of 2020-21 on Friday (Jan. 15) at the Youngstown State Collegiate Invitational. In doing so, Bassitt not only won two events, but turned in two meet records, a school record and two new automatic times for the 2021 NCAA Championships, March 12-13 in Birmingham, Ala. 

In the men's 60-meter hurdles, Bassitt's winning time of 7.70 seconds broke his own school mark of 7.75 last season, and the meet record of 7.77 set by the Penguins' Chad Zallow in 2017 and 2018. In the men's 200 dash, his time of 20.85 broke his own meet record of 20.88 from 2020.

Bassitt's 60 hurdles time also is the fastest in all of NCAA in the early going of 2020-21.

Ashland's men also received a strong effort atop the weight throw, as the top four spots were occupied by Eagles. Senior Brent Fairbanks won with a top heave of 20.20 meters/66-feet-3¼, followed by senior Cody Patterson (new provisional, 19.80 meters/64-feet-11½), senior David Amstutz (new provisional, 18.60 meters/61-feet-0¼), and redshirt freshman Noah Koch (improved provisional, 18.58 meters/60-feet-11½). 

In the women's weight throw, three Eagles made the podium. Junior Carrol Pauley turned in an improved provisional winning distance of 18.83 meters/61-feet-9½, senior Gianna DiPippo did the same as the runner-up (18.41 meters/60-feet-0½), and junior Taylor Kroll took third (17.85 meters/58-feet-6¾).

First-place finishes also were turned in by senior Steven Kapes in the men's 5,000 run (14:40.39) and junior Tim Rumas in the men's 400 dash (48.86 seconds). 

Runner-up placements were earned by sophomore Brayden Chaney in the men's 400 dash (49.94 seconds), sophomore Ethan Tabor in the men's long jump (7.07 meters/23-feet-2½) and men's triple jump (13.92 meters/45-feet-8), junior Storm Elsesser in the men's high jump (1.96 meters/6-feet-5), Amstutz in the men's shot put (16.13 meters/52-feet-11), junior Cheyanne Davis in the women's 400 dash (58.45 seconds), and freshman Kelsey Kinsley in the women's shot put (12.54 meters/41-feet-1¾).

Taking thirds were junior Travis Marx in the men's 60 dash (6.96 seconds) and men's 200 dash (22.21 seconds), senior Ian Johnson in the men's 5,000 run (14:52.84), junior Jake Hall in the men's mile (4:17.26), freshman Paxton Titus in the men's shot put (15.90 meters/52-feet-2), and freshman Emma Liberatore in the women's high jump (1.60 meters/5-feet-3) and women's long jump (5.49 meters/18-feet-0¼).

In addition, freshman Alena Williams' fourth-place showing in the women's 60 dash of 7.76 seconds set a new program indoor rookie record.

The Eagle men and women are scheduled to compete on Friday (Jan. 22) in a tri-meet at Hillsdale with Findlay.

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