UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Northern Michigan track and field team finished its competition at the GLIAC Indoor Championships on Sunday afternoon, taking fourth place of nine teams.
The Wildcats had three podium finishes, coming in the 60m hurdles and triple jump.
Ellyse Wolfrath had the lone gold medal finish in the 60m hurdles. On Saturday in the prelims, she set a school record with a time of 8.46 (previously 8.52, set last season). That time crushed her previous season-high of 8.59 and vaulted her into the nation's top 10, currently sitting in a tie for 9th.
Crystal Walker joined her on the podium in the 60m hurdles by taking third.
Alayna Vandegriff earned her first career GLIAC Championship podium finish by collecting bronze in the triple jump.
NMU took fourth place with 70 points, edging Parkside with 68.5. Grand Valley won with 256 points, Wayne State took second with 88, and Saginaw Valley placed third with 82.
Track Events
The Wildcats collected two podium spots and totaled 19 points in the 60m hurdles.
Ellyse Wolfrath was the winner with a time of 8.53,
Crystal Walker earned the bronze at 8.74, and
Sofi Diop placed in 6th, finishing at 8.90.
The 4x400m relay squad of
Ahna Larson, Wolfrath,
Ciara Ostrenga, and
Beverly Harper took 4th place in the meet's final event, finishing at 3:52.56 for five points.
The distance medley relay (DMR) team of
Lamar Gordon,
Lana Mac, Harper, and
Emma Sweeney took 5th place for four points, crossing at 12:14.73.
NMU had four runners in the longest event, the 5,000m.
Sophia Potter placed 7th with a time of 17:52.78,
Skylar Grubb followed in 8th with a time of 17:54.57, Dan VanLente was 9th at 17:55.96, and
Claire Waligorski finished in 13th with a time of 18:35.16. NMU earned three points in the event.
In the mile,
Lamar Gordon took 8th with a time of 5:02.85 for a point.
Ella DeBruyn placed 13th in a time of 5:19.92.
In the 800m, three 'Cats competed over four heats. Harper had the top NMU finish, placing 9th in a time of 2:16.96. Mac crossed at 2:19.61 for 11th and
Lola Korpi finished at 2:21.73 to take 15th.
Sweeney, Grubb, Potter,
Anya VanSweden, and
Celia Wallace took to the track in the 3000m. Sweeney was 14th at 10:28.22, Grubb 15th at 10:28.40, Potter 16th at 10:28.73, VanSweden 18th at 10:40.09, and Wallace 26th at 11:32.83.
Field Events
Freshman
Alayna Vandegriff earned a third-place podium finish in the triple jump, reaching a distance of 11.27m. The third place finish added six points for the 'Cats.
Amaya Teague placed 10th and
Eva Zonca 11th, respectively.
The Wildcats finished 4th and 5th in the long jump for nine points.
Crystal Walker hit a distance of 5.51m followed by
Sofi Diop at 5.47m.
In the pole vault, Kati Smith took 4th, eclipsing the bar at 3.54m.
Emily Czeiszperger and Vandegriff also competed, taking 6th and 7th respectively. The trio combined for 10 team points.
Teiolla Harvey added a point for the Wildcats in the weight throw, finishing in 8th with a distance of 14.21m.
Alizabeth Little placed 11th with a mark of 13.50m and
Caterina Thelen was 18th at 11.93m.
Northern had four compete in the shot put.
Adelyn Sanders was 9th at 11.41m,
Alizabeth Little finished in 10th at 11.36m,
Teiolla Harvey placed 14th with a mark of 11.03m, and
Caterina Thelen 17th at 10.56m.
In the high jump,
Grace Wolfe was 13th with a height of 1.45m and
Elizabeth Simpson placed 16th at a height of 1.40m.
Pentathlon
Four 'Cats competed in the five-event pentathlon in a field of 18.
Eva Zonca took 4th with 2,969 points,
Natasha Nowakowski followed in 5th with 2,902 points,
Grace Wolfe slotted in behind her with 2,859 points for 6th, and
Elizabeth Simpson placed 9th with 2,694 points to combine for
Zonca earned a pair of third place finishes in the five events: 60m hurdles (9.42) and the 800m (2:34.67). Nowakowski placed second on the shot put (9.97m) and Wolfe earned second in the high jump (1.52m) and third in the long jump (4.89m).
Up Next
The NCAA Championships will take place in Indianapolis from March 14-15, with Wolfrath likely to earn a bid in the 60m hurdles.
