Champlin is Bluejays first nat'l outdoor qualifier of 2008
Written by Andrew Ottoson
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
With warmer weather than the previous meet offered, the Tabor College track team performances showed significant improvement on Friday, March 21 at Lindsborg. The day was highlighted by the Bluejays getting the first of what coach Dave Kroeker hopes will be many athletes qualified for the NAIA Outdoor National Meet.
Kroeker believes this year’s women’s team could take the conference title away from defending champion Southwestern.
Dana Champlin, a senior from Concordia, threw the javelin 128 feet, 11
inches to become the first national meet qualifier of the young outdoor
track season.
“Dana came within six inches of qualifying last year and went to a few
extra events to try to get over the top,” coach Dave Kroeker said. “So
I know she’s very excited to have qualified.”
Champlin was one of several Bluejay women to win an event at Bethany.
Other winners were Jennifer Schmidt (100), Andrea Batista (200), Shelby
Miller (400), Heidi Schmidt (1,500), and all three relay teams.
Jessica Burden, Jennifer Schmidt, Andrea Batista and Tamara Steward won the 4x100.
Miller, Liz Kleinsasser, Tessa Siebert and Tamara Steward won the
4x400. Miller, Siebert, Kleinsasser and Heidi Schmidt won the 4x800.
Kroeker said that all three relays have the ability to qualify for nationals.
“Usually we can get one relay, and for us to have the athletes it takes
to have three as strong as we’ve got is unheard of,” he said.
National indoors qualifier Tasia Johnson has yet to compete with the outdoor squad.
“She qualified without any practice during the winter,” Kroeker said.
“She wanted to run this week, but I wouldn’t let her. She has a
hamstring injury -- and track isn’t like basketball, where it’s
important to win every week, so you let players with minor injuries
play. Our whole focus is on the conference meet, and we don’t want to
turn what she has into a nagging injury.”
For the men, Southwestern is almost certain to maintain its grip on the conference title.
“For someone to beat the Southwestern men, their team bus would have to
crash,” Kroeker said. “But I think we’re in the running for second
place, and that’s a good goal for our team to have this year.”
At Bethany, Tabor winners included Zac Remboldt (800), Nathaniel Porter
(400 hurdles), and the 4x800 relay team of Remboldt, Caleb Schroeder,
Adam McPeck and Justin Ball.
The 4x400 relay team of Andrew Schroter, Remboldt, Brent Nelsen and Andrew Covin also finished first.
The meet included teams from Bethel, Bethany, McPherson, Sterling and Hutchinson Community College. No team scores were kept.
KCAC TRACK & FIELD
Bethany Invitational
March 21 at Bethany College
Women’s results
Teams: Bethel, Bethany, McPherson, Hutchinson CC, Sterling, Tabor. No team scores were kept.
100: 1. Schmidt (T) 13.27, 2.Jones (S) 13.57, 3. Riedel (Bl) 13.76, 4. Frederick (S) 13.87.
200: 1. Batista (T) 27.54, 2. Jones (S) 27.84, 3. Schmidt (T) 28.74, 4. Riedel (Bl) 29.21, 5. Frederick (S) 29.43, 6. Wiechman (Bl) 32.15.
400: 1. Miller (T) 1:01.77, 2. Batista (T) 1:04.89, 3. Stegman (H) 1:06.54, 4. Wilson (By) 1:08.21, 5. Smith (H) 1:08.84.
