The Hillsdale College women's track team started the indoor season strong with two NCAA Division II provisional times at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open meet. Out of 24 schools, several of which were Division I, Hillsdale tied for eighth place with Saginaw Valley State University with 22 points.
Coming off of her All-American finish at the Division II NCAA Cross Country National meet last Saturday, junior Arena Lewis tested her speed on the track. She beat the provisional time of 17:27.66, crossing the finish line in 17:07.36 to take 17th place.
Freshman Nikita Maines kicked off her collegiate track and field career with the weight throw and shot put. She earned a provisional time in the shot put with a distance of 13 meters 69 centimeters. She threw for 12 meters 72 inches in the weight throw as well.
Freshman Kajsa Johansson dominated the 200m dash, taking fourth out of 61 competitors. Her time of 25.31 is less than a half second off of provisional time. In the 60m dash she finished in 15th with a time of 7.85.
Sophomore Abbie Porter returned to the track in the 800m run to take third place out of 17 girls. Her time of 2:15.87 beats last year's season-opening time by nearly three seconds.
Sophomore Carmen Botha competed in the 60m hurdles, finishing in 9.17 seconds to take 14th out of 42.
Botha and Porter combined with freshman Alanna O'Leary and sophomore Calli Townsend for the 1600 meter relay. The relay team finished 8th out of 20 with a time of 3:59.47.
Six more Chargers traveled to Saginaw Valley State University to compete in high jump, pole vault and shot put.
Freshman Alexie Day had a strong collegiate debut in high jump taking fourth with a jump of 1.63 meters. She was just four centimeters away from a provisional jump. Senior Kristin Freeman earned 10th place with a height of 1.48 meters.
Freshman Emma Shea competed in shot put in preparation for the pentathlon. She took ninth with a throw of 10.77 meters.
PHOTO: Carly Gouge
WORDS: Calli Townsend