Women's Track & Field second at NACC Outdoor Championships

LISLE, Ill. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Track & Field team finished second at the NACC Outdoor Championships, which were held Friday and Saturday at Benedictine University. The Falcons also took home a couple major awards, as sophomore Nora Imperl was named the Track Athlete of the Meet, while head coach Russ De Lap was honored as the Coach of the Year.

THE BASICS
- Falcons Score: 201 points (2nd of 9)
- Location: Benedictine University – Lisle, Ill.
- Individual Champions: Marya Haegler (5,000 and 10,000); Nora Imperl (3,000 Steeplechase); Nicole Larson (Pole Vault);
- Records: Larson (Meet Record in Pole Vault); 4X400-meter relay (School Record) 

MEET HIGHLIGHTS
- Imperl (Greenfield, Wis.) delivered in four events for the Falcons to earn the Track Athlete of the Meet. She won the 3,000-meter steeplechase, crossing the finish line in 12:05 for the individual title. Imperl would go on to take second in the 5,000-meter run, finishing in 18:35.34, third in the 1,500 (4:52.75) and fourth in the 800 (2:27.36). She finished the meet by scoring 29 points for the Falcons.

- Marya Haegler (West Bend, Wis.) picked up a wins in the 5,000 and 10,000 for the Falcons. Haegler took down the field of 13, finishing the race in 39:47.99 in the 10K. Sophomore Ashley Scheele (Kohler, Wis.) added a third-place finish in the event, while junior Hannah Erl (Wauwatosa, Wis.) was sixth. Haegler would then go on to win the 5K Saturday, posting a time of 18:28.82.

- Much like the indoor season, CUW was dominant in the pole vault again during the outdoor championships. Junior Nicole Larson (Milwaukee, Wis.) won the event, clearing 3.50 meters, while sophomore Ariana Koehler (Lake Geneva, Wis.) was second (3.20 meters). The Falcons also received a fourth-place finish from freshman Jennifer Miller (Freedom, Wis.) at 3.05 meters. CUW finished with five of the top 10 in the pole vault.

- The Falcons were great in the 800 and 1,500 in addition to Imperl. In the 800, freshman Carolyn Arndt (Rochester, Minn.) was third with a time of 2:26.59, while the Falcons had five runners in the top eight. In the 1,500 it was sophomore Cassandra Sprotte (Abbotsford, Wis.) who finished fourth with CUW placing five in the top nine and six inside the top 12.

- Freshman Morgan Marnholtz (Merrill, Wis.) finished fifth in the triple jump, leaping a season-best 10.92 meters. Marnholtz would add a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter run, clocking in at 1:00.58.

- The Falcons 4X400-meter relay team of Briana Gratz, Arndt, Sprotte and Marnholtz set a school record with a time of 4:07.90. They finished second in the race.

- Senior Ariel Kinlow (Brown Deer, Wis.) finished fourth in the 100-meter dash, running the race in 12.69. She would add a seventh-place finish in the 200.

- CUW received second-place finishes in the shot put and discus from senior Karli Tatum (Milwaukee, Wis.) and freshman Chole Eckstein (Reedsville, Wis.). Tatum landed a throw of 12.41 meters in the shot put, while Eckstein reached 38.33 meters in the discus.

- The Falcons had a pair of top-five finishers in the hammer throw in junior Colleen Sauvey and Tatum. Sauvey (De Pere, Wis.) landed a throw of 44.31 meters for a third-place finish, while Tatum was fifth with a toss of 41.83 meters.

- Another throwing event where the Falcons had the third and fifth-place finishers was the javelin throw. It was senior Marissa Krohn (Brookfield, Wis.) who placed third with a throw of 31.65 meters. Eckstein was fifth, landing a throw of 30.17 meters.

- CUW had two top-five finishers in the Heptathlon as well. Christine Swoboda (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) was third with 3,247 points, while Tatiana March (Janesville, Wis.) finished fourth with 3,233 points.

- Freshman Irene Bolis (Marengo, Ill.) finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing the race in 1:10.17.

UP NEXT
- CUW will now have certain athletes continue their seasons in Last Chance Meets. Those athletes will be aiming for school records, as well as trying to qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.