This weekend the Hillsdale Charger track and field teams were the smallest fish in a big pond. Regardless, they made quite a splash.
The Chargers traveled to the University of Michigan on Saturday to compete as the only Division II school at the Simmons-Harvey Invite.
The Simmons-Harvey Invite is new for Hillsdale’s schedule — head coach Andrew Towne decided to take his squads to the University of Michigan because Hillsdale was invited and he wanted his athletes to experience a facility similar to where the conference meet will be held.
The Division I competition didn’t intimidate Towne. He did say, however, that elite competition has served as a source of shock to his athletes in the past.
This year, his athletes seemed unphased which, according to Towne, is a sign of how the program has evolved. The tough competition actually pushed many Chargers to better marks.
Sophomore Sergio San Jose Lorza placed third in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.97 seconds. Junior Colby Clark ran a 49.91-second 400 meter to win the event. Sophomore Tanner Schwannecke also placed third in the 800 meter, running it in 1:56.92. The men’s four-by-400 relay came in second overall with a 3:21.79.
In the pole vault, junior Jared Schipper took third and made his first provisional mark of the season, jumping 16 feet, 4.75 inches. He has competed in every national meet of his college career and is currently ranked sixth. Because Schipper has had difficulty in practice the past couple weeks, he admitted battling nerves prior to the meet. Warm-up didn’t go well, he said, but the pressure of being at a Division I meet ultimately led to a breakthrough performance.
“I practiced wrong mentally and everything started feeling wrong,” the previous All-American said. “I’m not where I want to be but this meet was definitely a big step in the right direction.”
Schipper said this mark should make it to nationals, but he expects to be back to where he was last season with a goal of just over 17 feet.
Senior captain Ty Etchemendy achieved his second provisional mark of the season in the triple jump. He placed second overall with a jump of 47 feet, 5 inches. Etchemendy is ranked No. 13 nationally for his performance at the first meet of the season at Saginaw Valley State University.
On the women’s side, the four-by-400 meter relay placed third, running a time of 3:59.07. Senior Alex Whitford reached her second provisional mark in the pole vault this season with a vault of 12 feet, 1.5 inches. Whitford sits at the No. 3 spot on the national list for her performance at the first meet.
Sophomore Tori Wichman earned her spot on the national list with her performance in the 400-meter dash this weekend. Wichman took third at the meet running 57.75 seconds. With the conversion factor of running on a banked track she is ranked No. 14 nationally.
Though Wichman said she was happy with her provisional mark, she wasn’t fully satisified with her performance.
“Those athletes above me are most likely to peak, but I believe that I am going to peak more and improve my time just as much if not more, and if it’s God’s will, I will be able to go to nationals in an individual event for the first time,” Wichman said.
Wichman had surgery for compartment syndrome in August and was out for three and a half months of fall training. Overcoming this unexpected setback was no easy task.
“I had to keep reminding myself that God was in control and have faith that everything would fall into place at the right time,” Wichman said.
This weekend, against Division I competition, proved to be the right time. Wichman said other people don’t affect how she performs, but mentioned how much her teammate, senior Allison Duber who occupies the No. 12 spot on the national list for the 400 meter, has helped her focus this season.
Senior captain Dana Newell won the weight throw this weekend with her first provisional mark of the season. She threw 58 feet, 10.25 inches and is ranked No. 12.
Newell had a strong mindset going into the meet.
“My expectations are always to get the best out of myself and regardless of what anyone else was throwing try to do the best I can do,” Newell said.
According to Newell, the level of competition didn’t intimidate her, though she admitted she thought it would be more challenging. The way her training is structured, she is set to peak at nationals, where she placed eighth last year. She is hoping to improve on this mark and repeat her attendance at the national meet.
“Right now my chances are OK, but I definitely need to throw farther,” Newell said.
Newell’s teammate and fellow All-American junior Rachael Tolsma also threw a provisional mark of 54 feet, 2.75 inches and is currently ranked No. 20.
Charger track and field has a weekend off to focus on training and recovery before resuming their indoor season at Grand Valley State University on Jan. 28.
