SAGINAW & ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Oakland University track and field teams split its efforts between the SVSU Tune-Up in Saginaw, Mich., and the Silverston Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich. as both teams showcased success before next week's championship.

At the SVSU Tune-Up, Oakland athletes took center stage, dominating the field events while earning key placements on the track.

In the throws, Elizabeth Rice delivered a commanding performance in the weight throw, launching a distance of 17.45 meters to secure first place. Jamie Giese wasn't far behind, taking third with a solid throw of 15.84 meters. Giese's momentum carried over to the shot put, where she earned second place with a toss of 13.47 meters.

On the men's side, Alex Mansfield led the charge in the shot put, launching a throw of 16.48 meters to claim second place. Mansfield's precision extended to the weight throw, where his consistency earned him fourth place at 16.49 meters. Meanwhile, Romario Jackson showed his versatility, earning third place in the weight throw (17.29 meters) and seventh in the shot put (14.45 meters).

On the track, Makenna Scott took control of the women's 5000 meters, cruising to victory with a time of 18:00.38. A'naia Herd made waves in the women's 400 meters, sprinting to a fourth-place finish with a time of 59.10, while Rylee Scheurer impressed in the sprints, taking sixth in the 60 meters (8.08) and seventh in the 200 meters (26.14).

The pole vault also saw Oakland shine as Alexa Messina cleared 3.50 meters to finish second, while Genna Golab rounded out the top three with a mark of 3.35 meters.
At the University of Michigan's Silverston Invitational, Oakland's athletes faced fierce competition but rose to the challenge with inspiring performances.

The highlight of the meet came in the men's 3000 meters, where Anthony Hancock unleashed a gutsy run, finishing in second place with a time of 8:20.22. In the mile, Tyler Donovan clocked in with a time of 4:16.50 to earn a fourth-place finish.

On the women's side, Ashley Quinn showcased her experience in the 800 meters, battling to a fifth-place finish with a time of 2:12.97.

The teams are back in action next week in Fort Wayne, Ind., for the Horizon League Championships, set to take place March 1-2.