COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Women's Track and Field team opened its 2026 outdoor campaign at the Optimistic Open, hosted by CSB/SJU. They delivered an impressive first meet, with personal bests across the board, highlighted by multiple top-three finishes and a meet-record-breaking run.
Leading the way for the Eagles was UMAC Indoor Rookie of the Year, Alaina Wojtowski (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian), who continued her standout season by earning a third-place finish in the 100m dash. Wojtowski clocked a personal best time of 12.67 seconds, setting the tone for the outdoor season.
Senior Emery Maki (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) delivered one of the most impressive performances of the meet, breaking the meet record in the 1500m with a time of 4:52.70 to place third overall. She later doubled back in the 400m, adding a seventh-place finish with a time of 1:01.78.
In the field events, Emily Ashton (Camas, Wash./St. Mary's Academy) opened her 2026 season with a strong fourth-place finish in the javelin throw. Ashton recorded a mark of 33.61m (110' 3"), putting her just several meters off her personal best.
Lily Hubbard (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) contributed in multiple jumping events, placing sixth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.50m (4' 11"). She also competed in the triple jump, where she recorded a personal best mark of 9.35m (30' 8.25") to finish 11th.
Katie Shilts (Cameron, Wis./Cameron) turned in a well-rounded performance in her outdoor debut, finishing in the top 15 in all three of her events. She led her efforts with a ninth-place finish in the triple jump at 10.00m (32' 9.75"), followed by a 12th-place mark of 4.90m (16' 1") in the long jump. Shilts also competed on the track, placing 14th in the 200m with a time of 28.12 seconds.
Back on the track, Emily Neumann (St. Agusta, Minn./Sauk Rapids) also made her outdoor debut with a ninth-place finish in the 100m, crossing the line in 13.39 seconds. She later competed in the 200m, finishing 15th with a time of 28.42.
In the middle-distance, Cheyanne Scalese (Lancaster, Minn./Lancaster Public) represented the Eagles in the 800m, finishing 17th with a time of 2:36.17 as she opened her outdoor season.
The Eagles also saw a solid performance from their 4x400 relay team of Jessica Redman (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam), Kimberlyn Case (Sleepy Eye, Minn./Litchfield), Acuna, and Mariah Klippenes (South Haven, Minn./Annandale). The quartet combined for a time of 4:38.19 to secure a seventh-place finish.
Other notable performances:
Samary Acuna (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) Personal Best in the 1500m (5:33.10)
Alicia Arredondo (Robbinsdale, Minn./Homeschool) Personal Best in the 1500m (5:38.87)
Hubbard Personal Best in the 200m (30.76)
UNW has one day off before their next meet on Monday, just down the road at Hamline University at the Hamline Invite, starting at 4:00 PM.
