The Hillsdale College women's track and field team is just getting started with the 2023-24 indoor season, and already the Chargers are showing great signs of what could be an impressive season.
The Chargers showed up big at the season-opening Oiler Opener in Findlay, Ohio on Thursday and Friday, setting five NCAA DII provisional qualifying marks and winning six events.
The two-day meet started on Thursday with a stunning performance in the pentathlon by junior Shura Ermakov. Competing in her first-ever pentathlon, Ermakov further proved herself as a special athlete by running away with the competition, putting up a score of 3,399 that not only is a provisional qualifying mark in the indoor multi-event, but also breaks the school record in the event of 3,394 set by Tauna Blacquiere in 2004. Ermakov won three of the five events, taking first in the 60m hurdles in 9.16, first in the long jump with a mark of 5.26m, and first in the 800m run with a time of 2:23.91. Ermakov also took second in the shot put with an impressive throw of 10.38 meters.
Ermakov was one of three Hillsdale College athletes to score for the Chargers in the pentathlon, as junior Neva Polo took fourth with 2,948, and junior Reagan Dahlquist took seventh with a score of 2,704.
The Chargers also had a great day in the throws. Junior Averi Parker won the shot put with a personal best throw of 15.18 meters, setting an NCAA provisional mark in the process, and beating out defending NCAA DII indoor shot put national champion Trista Fintel of Findlay in the process. Parker also took second in the weight throw with a career-best mark of 17.86 meters, also a provisional qualifying mark. She now ranks first in the shot put nationally and second in the weight throw after one weekend of competition. Junior Katie Sayles placed fourth in the weight throw with a mark of 17.32 meters, and senior Katie Weldy placed fifth with a throw of 17.12 meters, both also provisional qualifying marks in the event. Freshman Amelia Lutz placed eighth in the shot put (12.19 meters) and junior Eden Little placed seventh in the weight throw (16.40 meters) as well for Hillsdale.
Senior Emily Gerdin also had a big day to lead the Chargers in the jumps, winning the triple jump with a mark of 11.42 meters and taking fourth in the long jump with a distance of 5.39 meters. Grace Chen placed fourth in the triple jump (10.76 meters) and sixth in the long jump (5.16 meters) as well for Hillsdale, while Erika Mogelvang also tied for third in the high jump with a clearance of 1.53 meters and freshman Elaine Kutas took seventh with a clearance of 1.43 meters. In the pole vault, Hillsdale's Katie Clifford and Tara Townsend each cleared 3.55 meters to tie for sixth.
Hillsdale had several strong showings on the track as well. Freshman Zoe Burke made an impressive debut with a victory in the 800m run in a time of 2:19.71, with teammate Ameera Wilson placing fourth in 2:24.49. Along with that debut, Hillsdale also got an impressive return to the track from Josee Behling, who missed all of last season but won the 400m dash in her first meet in 59.09, with teammate Francesca Federici taking third in 1:01.11 and Lucia Wilson placing fifth in 1:04.75.
Junior Louisa Klaserner also won the 60m hurdles for the Chargers, in 8.97, with freshman Nola Hipkins placing sixth in 10.19, while sophomore Lucy Minning took third in the 60m dash in a time of 7.82, with Anna Lamoreaux placing eighth in 8.31. Both Klaserner and Minning also did well in the 200m dash, with Minning placing second in 26.10, Klaserner taking third in 26.28, and Lamoreaux placing eighth in 26.91.
Hillsdale is now off until after the Christmas Break, and will return to action on Jan. 12 with a dual meet against Findlay back in Findlay, Ohio.