Women's Track & Field Starts NACC Championships in Second Place
KENOSHA, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin women's track & field opened the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in second place after Friday. The Falcons collected 40 points and one individual title. The Green Knights of St. Norbert lead with 106.5 points.
Junior Kate Kotula (Wyomissing, Pa.) claimed the crown at the pole vault pit with a career-best height of 3.20 meters. Sophomore Caitlyn Weitzel (Fallston, Md.) finished in eighth place at 2.60 meters.
The Falcons qualified three for the 60-meter dash finals on Saturday. Freshman Jacey Read (Carbondale, Colo.) finished second at 7.96 for her best time of the year, Senior Maya Hielscher (Macomb, Mich.) was seventh at 8.17 and senior Sabrina Moore (Park Ridge, Ill.) was eighth at 8.20. Freshman Natiya Ballard (Stoughton, Wis.) was 11th at 8.24.
CUW had three of the four fastest times in the 5000-meter run on Friday. Junior Ainara Sainz de Rozas (Madrid, Spain) had the silver medal at 17:17.96 and sophomore Emma Ahrens (Stephens City, Va.) had the bronze medal at 17:43.31. Junior Melanie Arvis (Berwyn, Ill.) was fourth at 18:16.86. In 10th place was sophomore Abigail Lange (Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) at 20:04.79 and sophomore Sydney Lechisin (Turtle Lake, Wis.) was 17th at 21:51.76. All of the Falcons had their collegiate-best time on Friday.
Concordia sent two to the finals in the 60-meter hurdles. Maya Hielscher had the fastest time in the preliminary round at 9.10 and sophomore Emma Eilertson (Mukwonago, Wis.) was sixth at 9.82. Sophomore Nina Alft (Kimberly, Wis.) was 12th at 11.66.
Concordia finished second in the distance medley relay at 13:04.42 with the team of sophomore Olivia Ebel (Mount Clemens, Mich.), freshman Annabelle Gonnering (West Bend, Wis.), Junior Danielle Van Grinsven (Appleton, Wis.) and Kylee Camble
Natiya Ballard was eighth in the triple jump at 10.01 meters and Caitlyn Kotula was ninth at 9.95 meters.
Sophomore Bryanna Mursch (Grafton, Wis.) led the flock in the weight throw in ninth place at 13.20 meters. Senior Jamie Maas (West Bend, Wis.) is 13th at 11.92 meters, just ahead of junior Kailey Ramaker (Cedarburg, Wis.) in 15th place at 11.80 meters, and freshman Makenna Herbrand (Fond du Lac, Wis.) in 18th place at 11.43 meters.
The Falcons close the championships on Saturday.
