TJ Leverentz/ Winonan
The Winona State track and field team traveled to La Crosse, Wis. to compete in the Phil Esten Challenge this past weekend.
The Warriors totaled 103 points to finish third, while the host team, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, won the meet with a total of 203 points.
The Warriors achieved four NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship provisional qualifying marks on a windy Saturday including three in the hammer throw.
Warrior head coach Mason Rebarchek said, “Our throwers are what is most affected by the weather. It’s tough to throw when they have a gust of wind in their face.”
Despite the weather, Nicole Nelson led the way for the qualifiers with a fourth place finish in the hammer throw by totaling a distance of 51.47 meters. Abbey Ristow threw for a distance of 50.30 meters to take fifth, and Delany Miller took sixth with a total distance of 50.13 meters.
Miller said, “It’s a great thing when your teammates reach their goals in the same event as you.”
Miller also competed in the shot put. She posted a sixth place finish with a distance of 12.83 meters.
Hannah Mueller was the fourth Warrior of the day to reach a provisional qualifying mark. Mueller won the long jump by posting a distance of 5.83 meters. Mueller’s teammate Melissa Femrite posted a distance of 5.10 meters to earn sixth place honors in the same event.
Natalie Busher took second place in the javelin with a distance of 33.46 meters. Paige Garriga took third in the same event with a distance of 33.32 meters.
Catherine Whitcomb finished the meet with a pair of top-five finishes. She placed third in the 400-meter run with a time of 57.16 and fourth in the 200-meter dash by finishing with a time of 25.44.
Kelsey Bethke also competed in the 400-meter run and 200-meter run. She posted a time of 56.45 to take fourth in the 400-meter run and finished with a time of 25.94 to take seventh in the 200-meter.
Megan Seidl also competed in the 400-meter run. She finished with a time of 59.61 to place sixth.
Three Warriors earned third place finishes in their respective events. Taylor Vogel posted a time of 66.40 in the 400-meter hurdles, Jordan Skelly finished with a time of 4:41.68 in the 1500-meter run and Andrea Bartz posted a distance of 11.16 meters in the triple jump.
Caitie Zepczyk posted a fourth place showing in the discus with a mark of 42.85 meters.
Jordana LaSavage led the way for Warrior distance runners. LaSavage placed fifth in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 39:06.42. Chelsea Schrubbe and Amber Stoick posted top ten finishes in the 5,000-meter run. Schrubbe posted a time 18:42.23 to place sixth, and Stoick placed seventh with a time of 18:50.32.
Heidi Hujik rounded out the group of notable Warrior finishes. Hujik finished seventh in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 39:09.51.
The Warriors will be spread out over three different meets next weekend. Winona state will be represented in the Kip Janverin Open in Indianola, Iowa on April 25 and Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa on April 25-27. The St. Mary’s Cardinal Open will be at home in Winona on April 26.
