Zac Rembolt and Justin Ball make their move around the pack at the beginning of the 800. Amber Wiens heads down the home stretch during her all-conference honorable mention 1,500 meter run. Andrew Ottoson/Free Press
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference outdoor track and field championship meet record in the women’s 4x800 relay wasn’t broken at Friends University Friday.
It was demolished.
The dynamite foursome of Liz Kleinsasser, Amber Wiens, Shelby Miller and Heidi Schmidt blew the old record away, stopping the clock at 9:26.79—26 full seconds earlier than the previous meet record of 9:53.
They also shattered their own school record, set at 9:43.03 in perfect conditions on their home track April 16. Friday’s time is the eighth fastest run anywhere in the NAIA so far this season.
“It was just an incredible effort by all four women,” coach Dave Kroeker said. “Joel Soo Hoo coaches these women and deserves credit for their outstanding performance as well.”
The women’s 4x400 group of Kelli Kopper, Kleinsasser, Andrea Batista and Miller qualified for national competition with a second-place time of 3:59.40 at the end of the second day of competition.
Three on the men’s side won conference championships. Jeff Harms won the high jump (6-4) on Friday.
Silas Hibbs added 10 inches to his best pole vault, upping the school record to 14-10 and won the event by 16 inches Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Andrew Schroter won the men’s 400 hurdles with a time of 55.48 and missed the NAIA “B” standard by just two-tenths of a second.
Tabor had 14 top-3 “all-conference” performances and 27 “honorable mention” performances.
Tabor’s all-conference women are: Jessica Burden, 100 hurdles and pole vault; Tasia Johnson, long jump; Kleinsasser, 800 meter run; Miller, 400 meter dash, pole vault and long jump; Breanna Wray, hammer throw; and the 4x100 relay of Jennifer Schmidt, Tamara Steward, Batista, and Kopper.
Men’s all-KCAC performances were recorded by: Andrew Covin, 400; Justin Ball—3rd, 800m; Matt Dean—3rd, triple jump; the 4x800 relay team of Zac Remboldt, Caleb Schroeder, Adam McPeck, and Ball; and the 4x400 team of Covin, Brent Nelson, Schroter, and Justin Ball.
The women’s team’s all-KCAC honorable mention performances were turned in by: Burden, 400 hurdles; Dana Champlin, javelin and high jump; Abby Claassen, discus; Amy Dueck, triple jump; Kopper, 400m; Amanda Krier, discus; Jennifer Schmidt, 100; Steward, 200 and 400; Jera Teselle, 10,000; Erin Vance, 400 hurdles and 100 hurdles; Estey Wichert, hammer; and Wiens, 1500; and Wray, shot put.
The men’s team’s honorable mentions are: Covin, 200; Matt Dean, long jump; Adam Dirks, hammer; Tim Funk, high jump; Tony Loewen, 110 hurdles. Nathaniel Porter, 400 hurdles; Mike Rousell, triple jump; Dan Sigley, 3000 steeplechase and 5000; Matt Vaughn, hammer and shot; and the men’s 4x100 relay of Johnathan Miller, Covin, Hibbs, and Schroter.
Coming—Tabor’s National qualifiers currently include the women’s 4x400 and 4x800 relays, Tasia Johnson in the 100, Dana Champlin in the javelin, and Adam Dirks in the javelin. Several more Tabor athletes will have one more opportunity to qualify for nationals at “last chance” meets at Bethany on Thursday evening and Emporia State on Saturday.
