The Dordt University women's track and field team qualified three individuals for nationals and four Defenders won their respective event at 'The Monday Meet', a late addition to the outdoor schedule and hosted by the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.
Elyse Kuperus,
Emilee Heynen and
Mika Kooistra all qualified for nationals in their respective event as the Defenders took advantage of the great conditions at the Lillibridge Track Complex this afternoon.
Kuperus easily hit the 'B' standard and won the steeplechase with a personal best time of 11:19.24, nearly 16 seconds faster than the second place runner. With her effort today, Kuperus has the No.1 time in the GPAC, No.16 in the NAIA and the second fastest time in program history.
Both Heynen and Kooistra qualified and ran personal best times in the 800m. Heynen overtook Kooistra over the final 100m to win today's race with a time of 2:13.9, a time that puts her atop the GPAC performance list and ninth in the NAIA. Kooistra placed third overall with the No.2 time in the GPAC (2:14.5), followed closely by
Anmarie Stuit (4th - 2:17.09).
Also picking up victories for the Defenders were
Molly Mulder (1500m) and
Lucy Borkowski (5000m). Mulder crossed the finish line with a new personal best time of 4:54.6, sixth best in the GPAC to date. Borkowski finished the 5K with a time of 18:43, a time that sits third in the GPAC.
Three freshmen,
Ayda Den Herder in long jump,
Shelby Buwalda in the 400m and
Sadie Feucht in the 1500m, also turned in personal best times / marks.
Defenders In The Top 10:
- Long Jump:
- Ayda Den Herder - 6th: 5.31m / 17-05.25
- personal best
- No.2 mark in the GPAC
- T12th all-time at Dordt
- Steeplechase:
- Elyse Kuperus - 1st: 11:19.24
- NAIA 'B' standard
- personal best time
- No.1 time in the GPAC
- No.16 in the NAIA
- No.2 all-time at Dordt
- 1500m:
- 400m:
- Shelby Buwalda - 3rd: 59.47
- personal best time
- No.7 time in the GPAC
- No.12 all-time at Dordt
- 800m:
- Emilee Heynen - 1st: 2:13.9
- NAIA 'A' standard
- No.1 time in the GPAC
- No.9 time in the NAIA
- No.4 all-time at Dordt
- personal best time
- Mika Kooistra - 3rd: 2:14.5
- NAIA 'B' standard
- No.2 time in the GPAC
- No.13 time in the NAIA
- No.6 all-time at Dordt
- personal best time
- Anmarie Stuit - 4th: 2:17.09
- No.5 in the GPAC
- No.10 all-time at Dordt
- Bethany Ten Haken - 6th: 2:26.98
- 5000m:
