Trojans, Halterman Shatter 6k Program Records in Team Runner-Up Finish
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Jaynie Halterman became the first Trojan in program history to run a sub-21-minute 6k race as she turned in a 20:56.7 at the Mizzou Gans Creek Classic, and No. 4 Taylor posted a program-record time of 1:48:40.90 in a runner-up showing on Friday out of 26 full teams.
Halterman blitzed the field for the second time in as many events in her career, winning by 27.0 seconds over unattached, NCAA Division I runner Tula Fawbush from Tennessee.
The freshman was joined in the top 10 by Noel VanderWall, who ran a 21:28.7 to take seventh, and by Ahna Neideck, who set her personal record by finishing in 21:31.5 to take ninth. Neideck, VanderWall and Halterman each finished ahead of all other Crossroads League competitors in the race.
Audrey Brinkruff grabbed 28th with a 22:14.0, and Sam Patterson crushed her personal best by posting a 22:30.0, which was good for 35th place to round out TU's contributing times.
Another trio of Trojans notched sub-22:50.0 times, as Kaitlin Burden, Abby Mays and Emersyn Funk each placed within the top 50 among 307 individuals.
As a team, Taylor totaled 42 points to defeat every NAIA team in the field, including No. 5 Cumberlands, which doubled that score with 84 points. TU nearly took down NCAA Division II Fort Hays State for the team title, which finished with 40 points.
Head coach Quinn White feels that both the travel required for this meet and experiencing the course itself could pay dividends down the line.
"Just the chance to have an overnight, or a couple overnights and experience that … just getting used to it, and of course getting on this course which is the (course at NAIA Nationals). It gives the athletes an opportunity to get a good feel for the course, to learn from it, to learn from the mistakes we made and to learn from the positive things and keep those rolling," said White.
White, too, was pleased with the women's results, though he believes there is more in the tank.
"Jaynie set a school record, we did set a team time school record for the girls for 6k, so that was really special. … It was a very good day for the girls," said White.
"We were winning most of that race … it's us passing (Fort Hays) one time and it's a tie. … We learn from it and hopefully that makes us more hungry. … There were so many positives, but we're not genuinely excited because we wanted to win it."
Fourth-ranked Taylor is back in action when it hosts the Ray Bullock Invitational at the Taylor Cross Country Farm on Oct. 11.