Kimble, Johnson post victories for Indiana State
as field events lead Sycamore effort
KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Indiana State women's track and field team went toe-to-toe with some of the best athletes that the Big Ten and Mid-America Conference have to offer, finishing third in a six-team Wisconsin Invitational field Friday in a meet that was a lot closer than expected. Sycamore sophomores Richelle Kimble and Felisha Johnson posted wins on the night.
Host Wisconsin was third with four events remaining but rallied to win the team title with 189.5 points. Western Michigan held the lead for most of the night but could not hold off Wisconsin and finished second with 186 points. The Sycamores were right in the mix, spending most of the meet in second place but lost momentum in the final three events to finish third with 169.5 points. Wisconsin-Milwaukee was fourth with 90.5 points while Winona State was fifth with 88.5, and Northern Michigan sixth with 48 points.
Sophomore Richelle Kimble was a winner for the Sycamores as she was judged first in a four-competitor tie in the pole vault, each clearing 11'-10” (3.61 meters). Kimble was judged first with fewer misses with ISU junior Nicole Hope judged third. Senior Alicia Fritschi was fifth at 11'-4.25” (3.46 meters).
Sophomore Felisha Johnson recorded an automatic qualifying mark in the weight throw for the third time in four indoor meets this season, winning the event with a throw of 60'-8.25” (21.24 meters). Johnson was also second in the shot put with a heave of 48'-10.25” (14.89 meters). Senior Kelsey Hanley was second in the weight throw with a toss of 63'-4” (19.30 meters).
Freshman Shelby Higginbottom leaped to a second place finish in the long jump with a distance of 18'-5.75” (5.63 meters). Freshman Kelly Steffen tied for fifth with a personal best distance of 17'-9” (5.50 meters) with sophomore Shalesa Smith eighth at 16'-11.25” (5.16 meters). Smith was also ninth in the triple jump at 35'-10.75” (10.94 meters).
Freshman Rachel Johnson was seventh in the high jump after clearing 5'-2.5” (1.59 meters) with junior Nikki Snearley eighth at 5'-0.5” (1.54 meters).
Two freshmen battled it out on the final lap of the 400 meters with Western Michigan's Andrea Arnold edging Indiana State's Higginbottom at the line to take the win. Higginbottom ran a personal best 56.96 in finishing second which is the 11th fastest time in school history. Arnold won in 56.57. ISU senior Rachel Posey was sixth in 59.42 with sophomore Patricia Merrion 13th in a personal best 1:01.83.
In a timed final, Sycamore sophomore Stacia Weatherford was denied a win the 200 meters by just .15 seconds but still ran a personal best 25.17 which is the 12th fastest time in school history. Weatherford won the second heat and had the fastest time until the fifth and final heat when Western Michigan sophomore Iris Campbell ran 25.02 to win her heat and the event.
Sycamore sophomore Leeann Michl ran the 600 meters for the first time in her career and posted the third fastest time in school history of 1:32.44 in finishing second. Wisconsin sophomore Brittney Harper was able to hold off Michl on the final lap to win in 1:31.51. Freshman Brittany Housel was eighth in 1:40.88, freshman Amy Fanella 10th in 1:41.74, and sophomore Tori Stone 11th in 1:42.60 which were all personal best times.
The top five finishers in the 60 meter hurdles were separated by just three-tenths of a second with two Sycamores among that group. Weatherford finished third in the finals with a personal best time of 8.87 seconds which is the fourth fastest time in school history. Junior Sarah Snapp was right behind in fifth with a time of 8.96 seconds. Wisconsin senior Egle Staisiunaite won with a time of 8.62.
Senior Allison Malone ran a season best 5:05.78 to finish fourth in the mile with junior Kacie Klem eighth in 5:20.04 and sophomore Andrea Prusz ninth with a personal best 5:20.11. Senior Kelsie Slater and junior Kristy Twitchell each ran personal best times in the 800 meters with Slater finishing fifth in 2:19.59 and Twitchell eighth in 2:21.94.
Freshman Jessica Zangmeister ran to a fourth place finish in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:30.13 while sophomore Kylee Thacker was seventh in 10:37.81. Higginbottom, Weatherford, senior Rachel Posey, and Michl combined for a third place finish in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:49.34 which is the second fastest time this season.
It will be the Indiana State men's turn on Saturday as they compete in the Wisconsin Elite Invitational. Competition will begin at 2 p.m. (ET) and is expected to conclude at approximately 6 p.m. (ET).
The Sycamore will be in action on two fronts next weekend as part of the team competes at the Meyo Invitational on the campus of the University of Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday. Another portion of the team will compete at the Tiger Invitational on the campus of DePauw University on Saturday.
