ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Women's Track and Field Team is in peak stride as they competed in the final meet before the UMAC Championships next weekend. Every Northwestern athlete finished top-6 in the Gene Glader Classic.
In the 200 meter dash, both Deanna Ammermann (Spirit Lake, Iowa/Spirit Lake) and Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) set season bests as they finished back to back. In first place, Ammermann turned in a time of 27.38. Moravchik notched a second place finish with her time of 27.50. These finishes moved Ammermann to first overall in UMAC standings followed closely by Moravchik in second. Moravchik and Ammermann also raced in the 400 meter dash alongside Emery Maki (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing). Moravchik crossed the finish line first with a new personal record of 61.27 seconds. Maki finished fourth for the Eagles, also securing a personal best time of 62.38 seconds, and in sixth place, Ammermann clocked a time of 63.64 seconds. These three athletes are now ranked 1st, 2nd and 4th in the UMAC for this event.
In the 1 mile, the Eagles saw a second and third place finish by Kimberlyn Case (Sleepy Eye, Minn./Litchfield) and Samary Acuna Arroliga (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley). Both Case and Acuna Arroliga ran this event faster than they have ever run it. Only 0.21 seconds separated their finish as Case crossed the finish line at 6:18.73 and Acuna Arroliga crossed at 6:18.92. With another first place finish, Caroline Ringsmuth (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) ran the 3000 meters in 11:47.02. In the 1000, Olivia Usselman (Stillwater, Minn./Math and Science Academy) placed third overall with a 3:42.34 finish. The Eagles also competed in 4x200 relay. Run by Alvine Njounang (Virginia, Minn./Grand Rapids), Naomi Wallace (Pipestone, Minn./Pipestone Area), Acuna Arroliga and Faith Matvey (Meadowlands, Minn./Lakeview Christian Academy), they completed the race in 1:59.03 to put them into 3rd place overall in the UMAC.
In the field, Moravchik competed in the long jump with Wallace. Wallace also participated in the high jump and took home a second place finish in after clearing 1.45 meters (4'9"). In the long jump, she jumped 4.43 meters (14'6.5") for a 3rd place finish. Moravchik, after tying the All-Time UNW record in the long jump last week, broke the record today, keeping her atop the UMAC with a distance of 5.15 meters (16'10.75"). She is now the lone owner of the school record in this event, replacing Jodi Whitworth who set the record in 2010.
The Eagles wrapped up their regular indoor season and will compete in the UMAC Championships, starting at 1:30 PM on Friday, February 28th up in Superior, Wisconsin.
