February 14, 2025

Halterman Shatters Records on Day One of CL Championships

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor women's indoor track and field team concluded the first day of the 2025 Crossroads League Indoor Track and Field Championships in fourth place and just 3.5 points out of second but it was Jaynie Halterman who stole the show for the Trojans.

The reigning NAIA Cross Country individual national champion made her collegiate track debut on Friday, posting a blistering time of 16:28.55 in the 5,000-meters to score TU's lone win of the day in record-setting fashion. Halterman topped the field by 52 seconds in the race, broke the Taylor program record and CL Championship meet record by 50 seconds, surpassed the NAIA A-standard time by a full minute and crossed 21 seconds faster than anyone else in the NAIA this season.

Halterman's performance highlighted a strong showing by the Trojans in the event, as Sam Patterson and Audrey Brinkruff took second and sixth to help TU rack up 21 points from the single race. Patterson's time of 17:20.55 was less than two seconds off the previous Taylor and CL Championship meet record and automatically qualified her for NAIA Nationals.

Taylor also picked up points in the 4x800-meter and distance-medley relays, taking second in the DMR with an A-standard time of 12:05.94. The group of Abby Mays, Nicole Domene, Emersyn Funk and Noel VanderWall accomplished that task, while Addie Draper, Annika Erickson, Sarah McKowen and Kennedy Applegate teamed to take fifth in the 4x800.

Kiana Siefert added six points with her third-place leap of 5.39 meters in the long jump and positioned herself for more by advancing with Adeline Draper to Saturday's finals in the 60-meter hurdles. Also moving out of the Friday sprints prelims was Domene, in the 60-meter dash.

Taylor will enter Saturday's slate in fourth place with 42 points, trailing Huntington by 1 and Indiana Wesleyan by 3.5 points for third and second.