Championship season is fast approaching for the Hillsdale College women's track and field team, with the G-MAC Outdoor Championship Meet just six days away in Owensboro, Kentucky.
On Friday, the Charger women hosted six teams, including multiple conference foes, at Ken Herrick Track for a final tune-up event ahead of the G-MAC Championships.
While the Chargers only brought a partial squad and kept their focus on the Championship meet next week, Hillsdale was still able to win four event titles on the day.
Freshman Eden Little led a 1-2 Charger finish in the javelin with a throw of 40.26 meters, and teammate Peyton Panka took second with a mark of 36.03 meters.
Freshman Josee Behling won the 400 meter dash for the Chargers in a time of 59.85, and Carmen Botha took first in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:08.75.
Kaitlyn Rust also took home a title in the 800m run for Hillsdale, winning in 2:24.69, and Olivia Chapman took third in the event in 2:31.19.
Several freshmen had strong days in the sprints and hurdles for the Chargers. Isabella Gutierrez took second (25.73) and Judith Allison third (26.74) in the 200m dash, both personal bests in the event, and Grace Gottwalt took second (15.00) and Louisa Klaserner took third (15.12). Shura Ermakov finished third (12.29) in her first 100m dash at the collegiate level for Hillsdale, and Allison Nimtz took fourth in a personal best time of 12.83.
In other field events, Emily Gerdin took second in the long jump (5.22 meters) for the Chargers, and Nikita Maines took fourth in the shot put (13.70 meters).
Hillsdale next competes in the G-MAC Outdoor Championship meet beginning on Thursday, May 5 in Owensboro, Kentucky. The Chargers took third in the most recent G-MAC Outdoor meet, held in 2019, but have won back-to-back G-MAC Indoor titles and enter next weekend as the favorite to take the crown.
Photo by Summer Fields