The Dordt University women's track and field team accounted for five top 10 finishes on the first day of the Red Raider Open held today on the campus of Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. Day two on Saturday will commence at 9am with the heptathlon long jump.
Anika Homan led a trio of Defender runners to finish in the top 10 in 5,000m, the final event to take place on the track. Homan placed sixth overall and crossed the finish line in 19:52.
Courtney Joiner was right behind in seventh place (20:00.64) while
Abigail Ruse placed ninth and ran a personal best time of 21:39, more than 20 seconds faster than her previous best.Â
Maren Hettinga just missed out on qualifying for finals in the javelin, taking ninth place with a toss of 25.12m on her final attempt.Â
Sara Geers continued her strong initial season competing in the pole vault where she placed 10th, clearing 2.65m / 8-08.5, the 10th best mark in program history.
Two Defenders,
Kelsey Evenhouse and
Faith Measel, completed the first four events of the heptathlon this afternoon. Evenhouse sits in fourth place with 2,187 points while Measel is in eight place overall with 1,885 points. Evenhouse posted her best finish (3rd) in the 200m and placed fourth in the shot put, fifth in the 100m hurdles and seventh in high jump. Measel's best showing was a sixth place finish in both high jump and 200m while placing seventh in the shot put and ninth in hurdles. Both Defenders recorded personal best throws in the shot put. Saturday's final three events are long jump, javelin and 800m.
Both Hettinga and
Jenna Gleason has personal best throws in the hammer: Hettinga (39.07m) bettered her previous best by nearly a half meter; Gleason had a personal best by nearly four meters today. Hettinga (#7 all-time) and Gleason (#3 all-time) are now listed on the program's all-time top 12 list.Â
Defenders In The Top 10:
- Javelin:
- Pole Vault:
- 5000m:
