This past weekend, the Chargers split not two, but three ways, traveling to the Mt. Sac Relays in California, the Louisiana State University Alumni Meet, as well as the Al Owens Invitational in Grand Rapids.
Highlights of the weekend include junior Emily Oren’s 5K school record (16:17), a school record by the men’s 4×400 meter relay (3:10.79), and a national qualifying time in the steeplechase by sophomore Molly Oren.
Only seven distance and middle-distance runners traveled to the Mt. Sac Relays, but they still earned a number of achievements, including not only Oren’s 5K school record, but solid races from junior Kristina Galat and senior Amy Kerst.
Kerst ran the 800 meter in 2:12 and head track coach Andrew Towne called it, “one of the better times she’s run outside.”
Galat battled through her 5K, stumbling on the metal rail that runs along the inside of the track; at one point in the race, she was pushed onto the track’s infield. Despite falling, Galat found a way to place third in her race in 16:30 — only one second off alumna Amanda Putt’s former 5K school record.
“I thought Kristina and Emily did an amazing job of competing well against tough competition,” assistant track coach Joe Lynn said in an emailed statement.
The athletes that traveled to LSU also had a number of accomplishments this past weekend. Towne highlighted junior Corinne Zehner and sophomore Sarah Benson as two “solid” female performers at the meet. Zehner was .39 seconds off her personal best in the 100 meter hurdles and Benson had a good leg in the 4×400 meter relay.
Senior Heather Lantis threw 40.10 meters in the discus throw, while sophomore Dana Newell threw 49.76 meters in the hammer throw. Freshman Rachel Tolsma wasn’t far behind Newell, throwing 44.46 meters.
The Charger men also had a number of solid performances at the meet.
Freshman David Chase fended off the Northwestern State team to secure a fifth place team finish in a highly competitive meet, on top of setting the school record. Also on the record setting 4×400 were senior Maurice Jones, and freshmen Lane White and Colby Clark.
“Overall it was a good meet for us,” Chase said. “We broke a school record, and it put us in a good position for the postseason.”
Freshman Jared Schipper placed seventh in the meet, jumping a height of 4.96 meters.
Senior Alex Mexicotte ran a 22.15 second 200 meter at the meet, but his event coach, Nate Miller, believes he can break the 22 second mark.
“He and I are both looking for a better performance in the weeks to come,” Miller said.
Those on the team’s “travel squad,” who didn’t travel to either the Mt. Sac Relays or LSU, went to the Al Owens Invitational at Grand Valley State University.
In addition to Molly Oren’s provisional qualifying steeplechase time, junior Francesca Krohn ran two personal best times, including running under 60 seconds in the 400 meter dash; sophomore Maddie Estell jumped 11.06 meters in the triple jump, and freshman Hannah Watts ran the 800 meter in 2:20.
The Charger men also had a number of memorable performances at the meet.
Senior Cassidy Kaufman jumped 13.27 meters in the triple jump — a personal best mark for him by a foot and a half.
Sophomore Caleb Gatchell was one of three Chargers to break 2 minutes in the 800 meter, going 1:53.57 and finishing second in the race.
“I think if I would have been upfront I would have won the race, I was going faster than [the winner] was the last 200, I just wasn’t in a good place tactically,” Gatchell said.
Junior Nick Shuster jumped 1.91 meters in the high jump.
For the second week in a row, freshmen Tony Wondaal and Sam Phillips ran the steeplechase. In a reversal from last week, Wondaal bested Phillips, running the event in 9:40 and coming in second place.
Miller is impressed with how his athletes are handling the long season and end of the semester academics.
“Even with the academic rigor in their lives, they’re not complacent,” Miller said. “There’s really good focus within the team right now.”
Today, Friday, and Saturday, the Chargers will be hosting the 49th annual Gina Relays. The three-day meet is widely regarded for its middle-distance and distances races and attracts some of the best athletes in the nation. Former Charger middle-distance runner, Matt Perkins, described the atmosphere at Gina Relays as “special.”
On April 29, 30 and May 1, the Chargers will be hosting the GLIAC conference track meet. The weekend after that, Hillsdale will be hosting the one final meet for any athletes trying to qualify for the national meet.
May 21, 22, and 23 the NCAA D-II national meet will be held at Grand Valley State University. At presstime, five men and seven women individuals as well as the men’s and women’s 4×400 meter relay teams have qualified for the national meet.
As the end of the season approaches, Towne expects some athletes to step up in the next few weeks.
“I think we have some kids that are positioned well at the conference level and national level,” Towne said.