The Hillsdale College Chargers continue to progress through their season as they traveled to Grand Valley State University for the Mike Lints Alumni Open today..
The hurdlers got things started as junior Carmen Botha and freshman Jillian Roney who finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Botha's time of 9.24 is a season best and is approaching her personal best time from her freshman year. Roney earned a new PR of 9.31 in the prelim race, but finished in 9.34 seconds in finals.
Once the hurdles moved off the track, it was freshman Allison Nimtz' turn to race. She had a big improvement in the 60 dash, shaving a tenth of a second off of her PR in prelims, with a time of 8.03 seconds. She finished eighth in finals in 8.13.
Freshman Dakota Stamm finished second overall out of 30 runners in the 400m dash. Her time of 56.59 seconds was nearly a two-second improvement. She was only .06 seconds off of the NCAA Division II provisional standard.
In the 800m run, junior Calli Townsend placed fifth with a time of 2:17.73.
Moving on to the 200m dash, junior Kajsa Johansson led Hillsdale's efforts with a third-place finish in 25.01 seconds. Freshman Jillian Roney finished 15th in 26.53 seconds. Freshman Allison Nimtz rounded out the pack with a time of 26.98 seconds to take 21st.
A sea of Hillsdale blue dominated the mile run. The Chargers were led by senior Arena Lewis who finished seventh in 5:02.45, just a second off her PR. Freshman Gwynne Riley showed up ready to race her first indoor mile, finishing ninth in 5:04.72. Junior Maryssa Depies followed next in 10th, finishing in 5:06.08, which is nearly a half-second improvement on her personal best.
Finishing out the day's running events, sophomore Alanna O'Leary led off the 4x400m relay along with Stamm, freshman Judith Allison, and Johansson.
In the field events, sophomore Nikita Maines finished second in shot put with a provisional mark of 13.82 meters. She finished sixth in weight throw as well, with a mark of 16.09 meters.
Sophomore Michaela Burkhauser took sixth in shot put with a mark of 12.37 meters, and freshman Katie Weldy finished 11th, throwing 11.67 meters in the event. Burkhauser took 11th in weight throw, nearing her PR with a mark of 15.29 meters. Weldy threw for 13.60 meters to take 16th.
Senior jumper Carlin MacDonald-Gannon took eighth in long jump in 4.90 meters, and 10th in triple jump, leaping 10.05 meters. Fellow jumper, sophomore Alexie Day, took fourth in high jump, clearing 1.55 meters.
The Chargers will return home for the Wide Track Classic next weekend as they continue to make adjustments and improvements this season.
WORDS: Calli Townsend
PHOTO: Kyle Niermann