The Hillsdale College Women's Track and Field Team opened up its 2019-20 indoor season today at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Opener. The Chargers finished sixth as a team out of 15 out of mostly Division I and Division II.
The 60m hurdlers kicked off the meet with their prelim race. Freshman Jillian Roney finished 14th in 9.37 seconds, right ahead of junior Carmen Botha who took 17th in 9.52. Freshman Judith Allison came in 19th in 10.23 seconds.
Hillsdale had a great showing in the 800m run, starting off with senior Abbie Porter who snagged fourth in 2:13.80 which is a Division II provisional mark and the fastest she's ever started her season. Junior Calli Townsend was behind her in fifth in 2:16.68, which is also her fastest opener. Freshmen Kaitlyn Rust and Dakota Stamm finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Rust finished in 2:21.15 and Stamm in 2:21.49.
In the 200m dash, junior Kajsa Johansson ran just under the Division II provisional mark to finish third in 24.89. Freshman Allison Nimtz took 26th in 26.95.
Both, Porter, and Stamm teamed up with sophomore Alanna O'Leary in the 4x400m relay to take fourth in 3:52.08, which is much faster than the team opened up last year.
On the field, sophomore Alexie Day came in fourth in the high jump as she cleared 1.59 meters.
Freshman Emily Gerdin and senior softball-player-turned-jumper Carlin MacDonald-Gannon both competed in the long and triple jump. Gerdin finished 15th in long jump with a mark of 5.23 meters and seventh in triple jump in 11.26 meters. MacDonald-Gannon took 20th in 4.96 meters in long jump, and 14th in triple jump in 9.94 meters.
In the shot put, sophomore Nikita Maines broke her own school record to take fourth with a new mark of 14.53 meters. Fellow sophomores Michaela Burkhauser and Emma Shea took seventh and 22nd, respectively. Burkhauser threw for 13.56 meters and Shea threw 11.06 meters. Freshman Katie Weldy made her debut to take 15th in 11.81 meters.
Maines, Burkhauser, and Weldy competed in weight throw as well. Maines took 15th with a throw of 15.56 meters, and Burkhauser was right behind her in 16th in 15.12 meters. Weldy threw for 13.15 meters to take 27th.
The Chargers will head home to rest and prepare over Christmas break before returning for the next meet on Jan. 11 at the University of Findlay.
WORDS: Calli Townsend
PHOTO: Todd Lancaster