The Hillsdale College women’s track and field team competed on its home track at the Wide Track Classic last weekend.The Chargers made strides toward improvement, but work still needs to be done to prepare for the fast-approaching conference meet, according to head coach Andrew Towne.
“We’ve got to keep working,” Towne said. “But, it was a good opportunity for some of our athletes to compete at home.”
To start off the day on the field, senior Kathryn Bassette vaulted a season’s best of 3.42 meters and ended in fourth. In the high jump, Alexie Day tied for third with a jump of 1.57 meters.
Freshman Emily Gerdin performed well at the meet in two jumps. She leapt into third in the long jump with a season’s best 5.32 meters. She also ended fourth in triple jump with a jump of 10.96 meters. Her teammate, senior Dani Jones also jumped for a season’s best of 5.01 meters in the long jump ending fourth. In the triple, she leapt an even 10.00 meters for 16th place.
In the throws sophomore Nikita Maines lead the weight throw for her team ending fifth with a throw of 16.45 meters. She was followed by sophomore teammate Michaela Burkhauser who threw 15.77 meters for third place. Katie Weldy also competed in the event and ended 14th with a throw of 14.21 meters which was a personal best for her.
In the shot put, Burkhauser lead the Chargers throwing 12.09 meters for seventh place. She was followed by Maines who threw 11.39 meters which landed her in eleventh place.
On the track, the Chargers continued to break personal records. Junior Kajsa Johansson dominated the 200 meter dash running the race in 25.03 seconds. Johansson walked away with the victory, a new personal best, and a NCAA Division II Provisional Mark.
“My training has started to set in a little bit,” Joahansson said. “My body is adapting and it went really well.”
Freshman Dakota Stamm also set a personal best in the 200 meter dash and ended fourth with a time of 26.14 seconds. Alanna O’Leary ran the event as well and set her personal best at 26.19 seconds and took fifth place. Junior Zoe Eby improved in her to race as well, taking ninth place in the 200 with a time of 26.56b seconds.
Sophomore Amber Mango raced a hard 800 meter run ending fifth with a time of 2:26.00.
“There’s definitely more work to be done to get to a spot where I’m where I’m competitive at the conference meet,” Mango said. “We’re at a point in the season where as a team we’re looking towards conferences and our competition there.”
In the 60 meter hurdles, freshman Jillian Roney set a personal best in her preliminary race with a time of 9.24 and then another with a time of 9.22 in the semifinals. She ended eighth in the event with a time of 10.38 seconds.
Freshman teammate Judith Allison also set a personal record in the hurdles with a time of 9.42 but then didn’t continue to on to the final race because of injury.
The distance crew looked strong for the Chargers this weekend. Junior Megan Poole ran the mile in 5:25.92 to place fourth. Senior Kate Vanderstelt ended 16th with a time of 5:44.20.
Junior Lauren Peterson ended fifth in the 5000 meter run with a time of 18:54.64. Senior teammate, Addison Rauch ran the race in 19:01.96 for sixth place. Freshman Natalie Martinson also ran the race and ended ninth with a time of 19:42.53 seconds.
“We have a clear picture of where we need to go now,” Towne said about the weekend’s results.
The Chargers will split up next week and take on different meets to continue to prepare for the Conference.
