Outdoor track is finally back as the Hillsdale College women's track and field team kicked off their season in the Yellow Jacket Collegiate Open at Cedarville University on Saturday.
Hillsdale's hurdlers are young but proved their strength and speed in both of the events. Freshman Louisa Klaserner finished fifth overall in 15.06 seconds to lead the way for the Chargers. Freshmen Judith Allison and Grace Gottwalt captured seventh and 10th, respectively, in 15.32 and 15.56.
Freshman Shura Ermakov led the way in the 400m hurdles to take first overall in 1:04.11. Allison was right behind in second with a time of 1:04.57, and freshman Isabella Gutierrez finished fourth in 1:05.75.
Hillsdale secured first placed in both of today's relay events. In the 4x100m relay, sophomore Zalonya Eby, junior Kajsa Johansson, sophomore Alanna O'Leary, and freshman Dakota Stamm passed the baton around the track in 47.43 seconds. Stamm, Eby, and O'Leary teamed up with freshman Allie Eriksen to finish in 3:56.90.
Junior Calli Townsend won the 800m run in 2:19.25, just ahead of freshman teammate Gwynne Riley who took third in 2:20.45. Freshman Vera Thompson ran a personal-best time to place seventh overall from the third heat in 2:25.60.
Freshman Meg Scheske captured sixth in her first-ever 1500m with a time of 4:43.73. Sophomore Lauren Peterson took 13th in 4:54.69.
In the 100m dash, freshman Allison Nimtz finished sixth overall in 12.48 seconds. Gottwalt came in 18th in 13.08 seconds.
Freshman Emily Gerdin had a solid day in the field with a victory in triple jump, 11.15 meters, and an eighth-place finish in long jump with a mark of 5.09 meters. Klaserner, preparing for the multi, took 18th in 4.80 meters in long jump. Freshman Jillian Roney took fourth in 10.53 meters.
Junior Alyssa Viola finished ninth in pole vault as she cleared 3.07 meters. Fellow jumper sophomore Alexie Day took seventh in high jump with a height of 1.58 meters.
The throwers proved their depth across all the throwing events today. Starting out with javelin, freshman Eden Little made her collegiate debut in the event with a fourth-place finish, 40.50 meters. Fellow freshman Peyton Panka was right behind in fifth in 38.00 meters. Sophomore Emma Shea also placed in the top 10 when she threw for 36.20 meters to take eighth overall.
Coming off the National meet, sophomore Nikita Maines took fourth in shot put with a mark of 13.63 meters to lead the way for Hillsdale. Freshman Katie Sayles captured eighth with a throw of 12.07 meters, and Panka threw for 11.18 meters to take 14th.
In the hammer throw, freshman Juliet Bernard impressed with a mark of 49.12 meters to take fifth overall. Sayles came in ninth, throwing for 44.06 meters, and Maines took 12th with a mark of 39.46 meters.
After missing last year's outdoor season and brining in a young team with many new events, the Chargers will continue to learn and improve upon today's performances. They will travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the Hilltopper Relays next Saturday.
Written by Calli Townsend