RESULTS

ANGOLA, Ind. – The Calvin women's track and field team moved into the lead at the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday on the campus of Trine University. The Knights have a total of 75 points, 36 points ahead of second place Trine and 36.5 points ahead of third place Hope. Calvin entered the day in third place with nine points, three behind first place Alma after the pentathlon competition last week at Alma College. Calvin crowned four event champions on Friday however to move into the lead.

Calvin opened the meet with the distance medley relay and won the race in 12:24.81. The relay included freshman Emma Wierenga (Grafton, Mass./Whitinsville Christian HS), freshman Lola Davey (Cedar Springs, Mich./Rockford HS), sophomore Kennedi Wood (Comstock Park, Mich./Sparta HS) and junior Hailey Erickson (Arlington Heights, Ill./Mt. Prospect HS). The victory marked Calvin's first-ever win in the women's distance medley relay at the MIAA Indoor Championships.

The Knights also went 1-2-7 in the 5,000 meters led by senior Sophie Bull (Denver, Co./Denver Christian HS) who repeated as league champion in the race, winning in 17:44.29. She was joined up front by sophomore Alexis Ball (Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City Central HS) who placed second in 17:57.73. Freshman Brynn Ellenbecker (Commerce, MI/Walled Lake Northern HS) was seventh in 18:23.12. Calvin received 20 points in the event.

Freshman Caralee Schipper (Mount Brydges, Ontario/Strathroy District Collegiate Institute) won the high jump title with a school record leap of 5-3 ¾. Sophomore Ella Easterling (Norton, Oh./Norton HS) was sixth (5-1 ¼) and freshman Natalie Hensel (Battle Creek, Mich./Pennfield HS) seventh (5-0 ¼). Calvin picked up 15 points in the event.

The Knights then went 1-4 in the weight throw with sophomore Lily Burns (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) winning the competition with a career-best throw of 51-7 ¼. She is the first individual in Calvin women's track and field history to win the event at the MIAA Indoor Championships. Junior Mikah Bazuin (Byron Center, Mich./Byron Center HS) was fourth with a throw of 47-10 ½. Calvin earned 15 points in the event.

Calvin picked up six more points in the long jump with senior Julienne Strydom (Meyerton, South Africa) was fifth (17-7) and sophomore Alina Veltkamp (Lynden, Wash./Lynden Christian HS) seventh (17-6 ¾).

COACHES COMMENTS: "I am so proud of how everyone competed today," said Calvin head track and field coach Adam Haldorson. "We're off to a great start. In order to keep things rolling we will need to continue to keep our 'compete' level high throughout Saturday's competition.

NEXT UP: The final day of competition is set to begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Trine University.

MIAA TEAM SCORES THROUGH FRIDAY

Calvin 75
Trine 39
Hope 38.5
Adrian 28
Alma 23.5
Albion 15
Olivet 8
Kalamazoo 7