With the G-MAC championships only two weeks away, the Hillsdale College women’s track team is using every possible opportunity to gear up.
This weekend, the team competed hard at the Ball State University Invitational in Muncie, Indiana. Chargers of every year left a mark, taking first or second in multiple events.
Senior Alexandra Whitford won the pole vault, while sophomore Kathryn Bassette came in third. Senior Chloe Ohlgren performed well in the long jump, also finishing third. Sophomore Abbie Porter took first place in the 800 meter, continuing to dominate in that event.
“My personal event, the 800, went well, I was able to win, which was fun. It wasn’t my best time of the season, but a win’s a win, so that was exciting,” Porter said. “As soon as we went to the cut-in and I was in the top pack I was hopeful that I could at least finish high”
Teammate Emily Southgate noted Porter’s performance as one of the team’s “standout” races of the meet.
“It was really fun to watch her run,” Southgate said. “She just took that last lap of her 800 and ran away with the wind.”
Senior legacy captain Rachael Tolsma continues to improve in the hammer throw, taking second place. She also grabbed fourth in the shot put. Freshman Zoe Eby represented the Chargers in the 200 meter, taking eighth. Though she was coming of an injury, Eby said she was pleased with the race.
“I felt that the 200 went really well,” Eby said in a text. “I was coming off of an abdominal issue and I ran 24.59. It’s not as fast as I can be, but with the conditions, I did pretty well. It was really windy and running in that was pretty hard, but you have to run in the conditions you’re given.”
The relay events also went well, with Porter, senior Ashlee Moran, sophomore Lorina Clemence, and freshman Carmen Botha finishing second in 3:51.36.
Porter said the 4×400 went well and that the warm weather was a welcome break from the Michigan spring.
“It was like 75. It was nice to be out of Michigan, even though it wasn’t that far south,” Porter said. “We had some good performances.”
Some members of the team will head to El Camino College in Torrance, California, for the Mt. SAC Relays starting on Thursday, while the rest will compete at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Michigan, starting on Friday.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend,” Porter said. “We’ll be traveling to California so hopefully some more good times and good races will result.”
