2008 Woodie Awards
Balanced attack leads SBU
Erik Johnson
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Sports
The Southwest Baptist women's track and field team traveled to Joplin last weekend to compete in the Radio Shack Invitational, and once again, the Lady Bearcats put forth a strong, balanced effort on the track.
Leading the sprinters for SBU was sophomore Jenny Blair. Blair continues to improve as the Lady 'Cats continue to close in on the conference championships. In the 400-meter dash, Blair placed second with a time of 59.64 seconds. Blair also had a strong performance in the 200-meter dash as she finished fourth in 26.17 seconds. Her time of 26.17 seconds ranks Blair second in the MIAA.
Also competing in the 200-meter dash were sophomores Jennifer Gillespie and Katie Ware. Gillespie (26.5) and Ware (27.88) both set personal-records in the event. Gillespie also finished ninth in the 400-meter dash in 61.13.
In the invitational mile, freshman Kelsi Chowning stepped up for SBU and ran a collegiate-best time of five minutes, 16.68 seconds. Chowning's time placed her third overall.
Fresh off a strong performance at Central Missouri, freshman Kassidy Porter gave the 600-yard run a second try. In her first try at Kansas State earlier this year, Porter flew through the first 400-meters at the front of the pack only to struggle to the finish line as numerous competitors passed her. This time, the race went much better for Porter as she put together a strong finish to place fourth in 1 minute, 29.48 seconds. Porter's time currently places her in the top six in the MIAA.
In the 800-meter run senior Alyssa Maggart and Chowning took home top-five finishes. Maggart finished third in two minutes, 22.96 seconds and Chowning placed fifth in 2:24.68.
The Lady Bearcats also fared well in the distance races as they placed two runners in the top ten of the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs. In the 3,000-meter run, sophomore Courtney Ayers placed fourth (10 minutes, 40.08 seconds) while fellow sophomore Chelsea Strahm finished ninth (11:09.68). As for the 5,000-meter run, Ayers picked up another top five finish (fourth, 18 minutes, 41.35 seconds) while sophomore Kristen Colon finished tenth in 19:34.24.
To finish out the weekend, the SBU 1,600-meter relay team of Gillespie, Maggart, Porter and Blair broke the school record by clocking 4 minutes, 4.61 seconds.
Today the Lady Bearcats will compete at the Prairie Wolf Invitational in Lincoln, Neb.
Leading the sprinters for SBU was sophomore Jenny Blair. Blair continues to improve as the Lady 'Cats continue to close in on the conference championships. In the 400-meter dash, Blair placed second with a time of 59.64 seconds. Blair also had a strong performance in the 200-meter dash as she finished fourth in 26.17 seconds. Her time of 26.17 seconds ranks Blair second in the MIAA.
Also competing in the 200-meter dash were sophomores Jennifer Gillespie and Katie Ware. Gillespie (26.5) and Ware (27.88) both set personal-records in the event. Gillespie also finished ninth in the 400-meter dash in 61.13.
In the invitational mile, freshman Kelsi Chowning stepped up for SBU and ran a collegiate-best time of five minutes, 16.68 seconds. Chowning's time placed her third overall.
Fresh off a strong performance at Central Missouri, freshman Kassidy Porter gave the 600-yard run a second try. In her first try at Kansas State earlier this year, Porter flew through the first 400-meters at the front of the pack only to struggle to the finish line as numerous competitors passed her. This time, the race went much better for Porter as she put together a strong finish to place fourth in 1 minute, 29.48 seconds. Porter's time currently places her in the top six in the MIAA.
In the 800-meter run senior Alyssa Maggart and Chowning took home top-five finishes. Maggart finished third in two minutes, 22.96 seconds and Chowning placed fifth in 2:24.68.
The Lady Bearcats also fared well in the distance races as they placed two runners in the top ten of the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs. In the 3,000-meter run, sophomore Courtney Ayers placed fourth (10 minutes, 40.08 seconds) while fellow sophomore Chelsea Strahm finished ninth (11:09.68). As for the 5,000-meter run, Ayers picked up another top five finish (fourth, 18 minutes, 41.35 seconds) while sophomore Kristen Colon finished tenth in 19:34.24.
To finish out the weekend, the SBU 1,600-meter relay team of Gillespie, Maggart, Porter and Blair broke the school record by clocking 4 minutes, 4.61 seconds.
Today the Lady Bearcats will compete at the Prairie Wolf Invitational in Lincoln, Neb.
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