Between Friday and Saturday the Hillsdale College women’s track team won 15 events in the Wide Track Invite and the Wide Track Classic and placed in the 60-meter hurdles, 800-meter run, and the 200-meter dash.
On Friday, the Chargers started with freshman Reagan Dahlquist placing first in the high jump reaching a height of 1.64 meters. Hillsdale’s freshmen dominated in the pole vaulting event, placing first through fifth with freshman Morgan Iverson in first, followed by fellow freshman Katie Clifford in second, Kaylee Jackson and Isabella Socha tying for third, and Grace Chen in fifth. Iverson vaulted a height of 3.69 meters, Clifford 3.54 meters, Jackson, Socha, and Chen 3.09 meters.
In the long jump, sophomore Emily Gerdin took first jumping a distance of 5.04 meters.
Head Coach Andrew Towne said he feels the preparation for the season has gone well and that he is excited for the season and to defend the conference title.
“I feel like we have a really talented group,” Towne said. “Dahlquist made her first provisional mark and Nikita Maines did well, these are flashes of what’s to come.”
Towne said the team’s strengths are that there is a lot of talent and depth but the team is still young.
The women also controlled the weight throw earning first through sixth place. Maines took first, throwing a distance of 18.20 meters and was followed by freshman Katie Sayles, freshman Juliet Brenard, sophomore Katie Weldy, freshman Eden Little, and freshman Mackenzie Morrison. In the shot put event Maines took first again throwing a distance of 14.88 meters and was followed by freshman Averi Parker in second with a distance of 13.92 meters.
In the 5000 meter run, the Chargers took first and second with freshman Kayla Loescher in first, running a time of 19:24.26 minutes. Loescher was followed by freshman Brynn Edison with a time of 19:54.25.
Edison said that this was her first time running a 5k on the indoor track and that she usually runs the 5k or 6k for cross country.
“I’m really happy with my performance in the 5k,” Edison said. “I PRed by over 30 seconds and it was a great start for the indoor track season.”
Edison also said that she would like to PR in the 5k again and is looking forward to running on a bigger track so she can run longer events.
In the 60 meter hurdles, freshman Grace Gottwalt took second with a time of 9.19 minutes and freshman Louisa Klaserner took third with a time of 9.23 minutes.
Following the 60 meter hurdles, Hillsdale sophomore Gwynne Riley placed first in the one mile run making a time of 5:05.19 minutes. Close behind Riley, sophomore Meg Scheske earned third with a time of 5:08.38 minutes.
Sophomore Dakota Stamm and freshman Josee Behling teamed up to take first and second in the 400 meter dash. Stamm ran a time of 58.10 seconds and Behling, a time of 1:00.20 minutes.
In the 800 meter run freshman Reese Dragovich took third running a time of 2:18.41 minutes. Freshman Isabella Guitierrez took third in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.64 seconds.
Next, Hillsdale took first in the 4×400 meter relay with Scheske, Riley, and sophomore Kaitlyn Rust, along with freshman Vera Thompson running a time of 4:11.73 minutes.
On Saturday, Hillsdale’s women’s track team started early with pole vaulting, high jump and weight throw as the other competitors for the day warmed up. Continuing to dominate the event, Dahlquist took first again in the high jump making a distance of 1.67 meters.
Dahlquist said she was excited about winning both meets and that they were her first wins at the collegiate level.
“I’m looking forward to competing and having fun with my teammates,” Dahlquist said. “We practice together everyday, so seeing everyone improve and perform well is exciting.”
Dahlquist also said that she hopes to continue to improve and is now looking to reach a personal best of 1.71 meters.
In the pole vaulting event, Clifford finished first vaulting a height of 3.69 meters. In the triple jump, Gerdin placed first jumping a distance of 11.32 meters.
Maines took first in the shot put event throwing a distance of 14.61 meters. Following Maines, Parker took second throwing a distance of 13.60 meters. In the weight throwing event Maines took first again throwing a distance of 18.26 meters followed by Sayles in second, finishing with a distance of 17.39 meters. Weldy finished third throwing a distance of 16.38 meters and was followed by freshman Juliet Bernard who threw a distance of 15.96 meters.
Freshman Louisa Klaserner took third again in the 60 meter hurdles with a finishing time of 9.18 seconds. Then, in the 4×400 meter relay Hillsdale took first and second with both teams being led by freshmen. In first, Stamm, freshmen Shura Ermakov, Dragovich, and Nicole Marshall had a time of 3:58.54 minutes in the finals. In second, freshmen Behling, Isabella Guitierrez, Louisa Klaserner, and sophomore Judith Allison finished with a time of 4:04.49 minutes.
The team will compete next on Friday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 5 in the Meyo Invite against the University of Notre Dame, the Akron Invite against the University of Akron, and the Jud Logan Open against Ashland University.
“Our team is very competitive against every team we race against,” Edison said. “One of our goals this season is to send as many athletes to nationals as possible.”
