SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Western Michigan track and field team saw success once again as the Broncos competed at the Notre Dame Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
In all the Broncos took six event titles at the non-scored meet with
Iris Campbell once again shinning for the Brown & Gold. For the third straight week she finished in first place in the 60 meter hurdles, this time with a personal-best time of 8.83 seconds. The sophomore from Emmett, Mich., also took first in the 400m dash with a time of 56.32 seconds, edging out DePaul's Lindsey Holden by just .02 seconds for the win.
Along with Campbell, every runner for the Broncos in the 400m dash record a personal-best time on the day.
Brittany Calhoun (58.48),
Krystle Ingram (58.80) and
Erinma Elibe (58.85) finished one after another with personal-best times and Carly Rice also hit a career best with a time of 1:05.29.
"I thought we did a really good job taking advantage of the fast 300 meter track," said head coach
Kelly Lycan. "A lot of people really improved their season and career bests today. It is nice to see that we are moving in the right direction."
Freshman
Andrea Arnold continued her hot streak, winning the 500m dash with a time of 1:14.49. The time is fifth best in school history in the event. The speedy Maple Heights, Ohio, native also took second place in the 200m dash with a time of 25.24. Arnold, along with her sister
Ariel Arnold,
Stephanie Okolo and
Ashley Hunault also combined to take first place in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:50.97. Hunault also took second place in the 60m dash in her first time running it this season with a time of 7.79 seconds.
Sophomore
Rachel Whitley had the second-best performance in school history in the 1,000m run with a first-place time of 2:53.34. Whitley edged out DePaul's Mary Cate Quiett in the final meters and finished ahead of her by .03 seconds. Whitley's time was .04 seconds off the school record by Darcy Tomlinson that was set in 1980. She outpaced WMU All-American Jill Stamison, who previously held the second-best time, by .41 seconds.
"Rachel is learning how to keep herself close enough to learn to use her strong kick at the end," Lycan analyzed. "This is the second time this year that she has come from behind in the final meters to win."
Stephanie Mitchell had a steady day in the throwing events, placing first place in the weight throw with a distance of 51 feet, 9.25 inches. She finished just one inch ahead of teammate
Sarah Morris. Mitchell placed second in the shot put with a distance of 46 feet, 6.75 inches. Freshman Chelsie Gerbers finished in fourth, breaking the 40-foot mark for the first time in her collegiate career at 40 feet, 6.25 inches.
Going up against some stiff competition in a really fast mile run race,
Samantha Tomerlin held her own and took fourth place with a time of 4:56.67. The senior's time places her fifth on the school's performance list in the mile run, ahead of WMU Hall Of Fame member Kayla Skelly by .01 second.
The Broncos head up to Madison, Wis., for the Wisconsin Invitational for their first two-day meet of the season next Friday and Saturday.
