Women's track and field starts the new year out strong

SEWARD, Neb. –  One NAIA 'A' provisional mark, an event win, and a plethora of strong performances highlight Morningside women's track and field's first competition of the 2024 calendar.

The women's 3,200-relay team of Courtney Sporrer, Michelle Sanchez, Emily Chicoine, and Jolee Mesz recorded an NAIA 'A' Standard time of 9:29.73 in the team's first race of the semester. The time was good for second place.

Three legs of the 3,200 team placed in the top six of the 1,000. Courtney Sporrer won the event in 3:03.03. Chicoine ran 3:10.51 for fourth and Sanchez 3:15.99 for sixth. 

Mesz continued her strong day by placing second in the 600-meters in a time of 1:40.11. Sarah Perez placed sixth by running 1:47.5 and Nicole Zuehl took 13th with a time of 1:58.17. 

Three Mustangs placed in the top 10 in the mile run. Taylor Sporrer ran 5:22.17 for third place, London Rogge ran 5:52.03 for sixth, and Monica Olson ran 5:54.01 for eighth. A quartet of Mustangs placed 12th through 16th. Ikilas Hasan finished with a time of 6:11.91, followed by Jillian Fierro (6:12.01), Paige Padavich (6:14.08), Ella Stapek (6:25.67). Gabby Ryan placed 17th by running 6:33.57. Taylor Sporrer added a third place finish in the 5,000, running 18:44.63.

One Morningside runner made the finals in the 60-meters. Freshman Tilda Wahlen ran 8.09 in the prelims to make the finals. Her finals time of 8.13 placed her sixth in the event. Meredith Draper ran 8.31, Laura Greene 8.58 and Taylor Greene 8.6 in the event.

In the 200, Wahlen ran a time of 27.19 for ninth. Taylor Greene ran 28.01, Meredith Draper 28.46, Laura Greene 28.6, and Lauren Wehrbein 28.61 in the race. 

In the final race of the day, the team of Chicoine, Sanchez, Courtney Sporrer, and Perez ran 4:09.45 for fourth place in the 1,600-meter relay. Olson, Zuehl, Hasan, and Fierro ran 4:41.42. Rogge, Padavich, Ryan, and Stapek ran 4:58.68.

Jacee Tindall placed 22nd in the shot put with a throw of 32-7.75 (9.95-meters). Shelby Mills threw 38-9.5 (11.82-meters) in the weight throw.

Morningside is back in action over the final weekend of January.