Falcons Open the NACC Championships in Second Place

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – On the first day of the NACC Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Concordia University Wisconsin women's track and field squad totaled 46.50 points to take second place.

In first place are the Green Knights of St. Norbert College with 63.50 points. 

Junior Maya Hielscher (Macomb, Mich.) took home the gold in the long jump for the second straight year. In her sixth and final attempt of the day, Hielscher leaped 5.45 meters. Hielscher had to wait for the other competitors to take their final attempt. However, after several tries, no one could touch Hieslcher's mark, earning her the long jump crown in consecutive indoor seasons, adding 10 points to the Falcons' total. 

Also in the long jump was senior Sabrina Moore (Park Ridge, Ill.), who, on her first attempt, had a mark of 5.05 meters to take sixth and claim three points. 

The 5000-meter saw freshman Emma Ahrens (Stephens City, Va.) earn six points at 19:11.32. Behind Ahrens was senior Anessa Yim (Spokane, Wash.), who finished her race at 19:25.46, good for fourth and five team points. Freshman Alicia Kawa (Medford, Wis.) and sophomore Abby Poehlman (Hubertus, Wis.) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. 

The distance squad also added points in the 4000-meter medley relay, adding five team points. The team comprised of freshman Bailee Schlender (Brillion, Wis.), freshman Mikayla Becker (Plantation, Fla.), senior Sarah Birenaum (Cascade, Wis.), and Sydney Leschisin (Turtle Lake, Wis.) combined for a time of 14:26.16 for fourth place and five team points. 

The pole vault also saw multiple CUW athletes score points in the pole vault event. Freshman Caitlyn Weitzel (Fallston, Md.) cleared a height of 2.65 meters for a half point. Meanwhile, sophomore Kate Kotula (Wyomissing, Pa.) secured two points with a mark of 2.80 meters. 

Sophomore Carly Griesemer (Slinger, Wis.) took second place after forcing a jump-off, following her record height of 3.30 meters. In a jump-off that lasted six rounds, Griesemer ultimately took second, adding eight points to CUW's total. 

CUW saw two athletes qualify for finals in the 60-meter hurdles prelims, as Maya Hielscher continued her successful day, taking first overall and first her heat with a time of 9.16 seconds. Also in that heat was freshman Emma Eilertson (Mukwonago, Wis.), who took fourth in the heat, good for eighth place overall, punching herself a ticket to tomorrow's 60-meter finals.

The Blue and White also saw two athletes qualify for the 60-meter dash as senior Jenna Zahorik (Reedsville, Wis.) took second in her heat, good for fifth overall, while Sabrina Moore cruised to first in her heat with a time of 8.05 seconds, earning a spot in the finals, set place for Saturday.

Meanwhile, in the weight throw, the Falcons were led by senior Morgan Huntley (Hillsboro, Wis.), who recorded a throw distance of 12.20 meters in her third attempt. 

Then, in the pentathlon, sophomore Elizabeth Van Rixel (Athens, Wis.) led the Falcons with a total of 2027 points and featured her taking fourth in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:45.06 and sixth in the shot put with 8.26 meters. 

The Falcons will look to build on their excellent first-day performance and attempt to climb the leaderboard to secure the NACC crown, starting tomorrow at 9 a.m.