TU Women Dominate at Home Meet
UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor women's indoor track and field team took full advantage of its lone home meet of the season, scoring wins in seven-of-19 individual events and adding four national qualifier marks at the TU Trojan Invite.
The Trojans had a full team in action for the first time this season and saw a pair of freshman open action with a sweep of the top-two spots in the pole vault. Mai Zimmerman won the event by clearing a Taylor-record height of 3.32 meters, while Janna Teusch went over 3.17 meters for second.
Kiana Siefert and Casey Boeckerman followed suit in the long jump with first and second-place finishes. Siefert scored the win, with both athletes posting marks of 5.21 meters.
The distance-medley relay team of Abby Mays, Ashley Hall, Emily Johnson and Noel VanderWall posted TU's lone A-standard performance, automatically qualifying for NAIA Nationals with a winning time of 12:12.98 for the best time in the nation on the young season.
The wins kept coming in the 200, 600, 800 and mile, with D'Arjha Davis taking the 200, Emily Johnson winning the 600, Olivia Jeanette topping the field in the 800 and Audrey Brinkruff winning the mile and provisionally qualifying for nationals.
Other qualifying marks came from Ahna Neideck in the 3,000-meters and Patience Sakeuh in the 60-meter hurdles, as the Trojans won or scored a qualifying mark in nine different events, while adding three additional runner-up spots.
Those efforts came from Nadia Rhoades in the high jump, Kali Siemers in the triple jump and Davis in the 60.
Taylor will continue its indoor campaign at the Indiana Wesleyan Midwest Classic on February 3.
