Women's Track & Field | January 14, 2017
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Western Michigan track and field stepped up a notch in competition this weekend at the Illini Classic at the University of Illinois on Saturday, tying for fifth place.
The Broncos made significant improvements, notably in the field events, on their way to scoring 59 points.
"Last week our long jumpers really struggled to find the take-off board," said head coach Kelly Lycan. "The results reflected that but Today we did a little better job of finding it."
Junior Ayiana Gaines won the long jump with a new personal-best distance of 18' 8.50". Redshirt freshman Gabrielle Collins took third place after jumping 18' 5.75".
WMU turned in quality performances on the track, as well, led by redshirt freshman Sarah Anderson. Anderson, who won the mile run and the 800-meter run at the team's season-opening meet last weekend, won the 600-meter run and nearly broke the school record. Anderson completed the race with a time of 1:33.27 for the second-fastest mark in program history. Freshman Erin Dowd finished sixth in the event after running a time of 1:38.04.
The always strong 4x400-meter relay team ran a time of 3:51.10 to take second place. Lycan jumbled up the personnel and went with Lindsey Hufnagel, Naiomi Dulaney, Anderson and Sarita Dotson, earning eight points.
Gaines added to her point total by taking third in the 400-meter dash, backed up by junior Davonne Bolden with a sixth place finish. Bolden's time of 58.80 was a new indoor personal best.
Junior Hanne Christensen knocked five seconds off of her personal best time in the mile run with a big improvement for the second-straight week.
"It's great to see some of our distance crew, like Hanne, get some work in early in the season at some of these shorter distances," remarked associate head coach Taryn Sheahan. "Even though she doesn't run the mile that often, getting a chance to move the legs a little faster in these shorter races will pay dividends later on when she runs the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs."
WMU's trip through the Big Ten continues next weekend after the team heads to the University of Indiana and the Gladstein Invitational. It will be another step up in competition for the Broncos as they move another step along their way in preparation for the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships in February.
