Newton and Tonui Compete at Nationals

For the second consecutive season, Lady Trojan cross country runner Breanna Newton competed in the NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships held in Vancouver, Wash. Newton finished the 3.1 mile course in 20:28 with an average mile time of 6:36. Her finish placed her 243rd overall out of 323 runners.

Fellow Trojan Philiph Tonui also competed at the National Championships for the third year in a row. 
Tonui finished the five mile course in 25:23 with an average mile time of 5:07. He improved his time by 30 seconds from last season's national meet to place 60th overall out of 312 runners.

"As a coach I was very pleased with how Breanna and Philiph represented our school and how they competed," stated Coach Jex. "They did the best they could and that is all that I ask of them."

The Trojans now look ahead to the indoor track and field season.  They are slated to compete in ten meets this winter, starting with the Bob Timmons Classic at the University of Kansas on December 3rd.

Trojans Heading to NAIA Nationals

Breanna Newton and Philiph Tonui have both qualified for the NAIA Cross Country National Championships.

Newton ran a great conference race to qualify, running a time of 19:57 for the 5k race finishing in sixth place. This will be Breanna's second time at the National meet.

Tonui will be making his third trip to Nationals after finishing eighth at the conference meet with a time of 26:03. 
The National Championships will be held on November 19 in Vancouver, Washington.

Trojans Last Tune Up Before Conference

The Trojans traveled to Lamoni, Iowa for the Graceland University Invite to run in their last regular season race of the fall.  On a tough hilly course with a long turns, the Trojans came away with a lot of confidence and a great showing.

 The Lady Trojans put three women in the top 15 and were one of only two teams to do that. With strong pack running; Breanne Newton (10th) 20:18, Mandi Riddle (14th) 20:25 and Nicole Griesbaum (15th) 20:25, the women finished within 5 places of each other. The top 5 for the ladies was wrapped up by freshman Jennifer Yoder (30th) 21:28 and Sarah Erickson(34th) 21:37. The ladies finished in 5th place as a team and ran a great race.

On the men's side, it was a day full of surprises. Lead once again by Phillip Tonui's strong second place finish, the Trojans surprised the field and ran to a third place finish as a team. The Trojans placed two runners in the top twenty ; Philiph (2nd) 26:07 and John Bedsworth (19th) 28:42. Next for the Trojans came, Troy Pace(21) 29:01;  Zach Lewis (26) 29:29; Brett Jones (28) 29:37. Rounding out the men's team was a gutsy performance by Tyler Malone who finished right behind Brett Jones. Tyler ended the race with some lower leg pain and will see the doctor this week. Please pray for him. The next race for the Trojans is the AMC Conference meet and a chance at nationals on November 5th. The race is at Forest Park so if you are in the St. Louis area come cheer on the Trojans.

HLG's Newton and Tonui Named AMC Runners of the Week

After standout performances at the Illinois Collegiate Invite, Breanna Newton and Philip Tonui were named the American Midwest Conference runners of the week.

The Invite was Newton's first time racing since being sidelined with an injury in early September.  She finished fourth in the 6k race with a time of 23:50, leading the Lady Trojans to a second place team finish.

Tonui went out ahead of the pack and never looked back, winning the 8k race with a time of 25:58.  He lead the men to a fifth place team finish.

 The Trojan men and women were back racing this weekend at the Central Methodist University Invite. Despite the warm weather, both teams made a good showing with the men finishing sixth out of seven teams, and the women finished sixth of eight.

On the men's side, Philiph Tonui was the top finisher for HLG with a time of 26:29 for 8k. John Bedworth came in second for the team at 28:12 and Troy Pace was third with a time of 29:14.

For the women, Mandi Riddle was the team medalist with a time 20:37 for 5k. Close behind her were Nicole Griesbaum at 21:14, Sarah Erickson at 21:23, and Jennifer Yoder at 21:25. Both Riddle and Erickson made a two minute improvement on their times from last year on this course.

Both teams will be in action this upcoming weekend at the Illinois College Invitational in Jacksonville, Illinois.

In recruiting; Reid Echelmeier, from Lafayette County High School in Higginsville, Missouri will be making an official visit later this week. Reid is a sprinter specializing in 110 (16.29) and 300 (40.85) meter hurdles. Reid would bring some great speed to the Trojan men's team and would be a great addition.

HLG Track and Field Seeking Volunteer Coaches

Hannibal LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri is seeking applicants for a Volunteer Track & Field Coach. As a coach, you would assist with all aspects of the Track & Field department including, but not limited to, assisting coaching staff with team travel, recruiting, and helping with any day to day operations.

HLG is a member of the NAIA and part of the American Mid-West Conference. The HLG women are the 2011 Track and Field conference champions.

Requirements: Relevant Track & Field experience as a coach or collegiate athlete with a special emphasis in horizontal jumps, sprints, or throws.

This position starts ASAP, but is negotiable.

To Apply:  Please e-mail Head Coach Tracy Jex at tracy.jex@hlg.edu

A Week Off But Working Hard

With the next two weeks off from competition, the Trojan men and women had a great week of tough workouts.  Nothing like a few mile repeats, some killer hills, and a long run to get the men and women ready for the CMU Invite. This week of training culminated with an intense game of ultimate Frisbee, with the Cross Country men and women coming out on top of the Track and Field men and women. 

The break from racing has also given some needed rest to a few Trojans that have been struggling with injuries.  Sophomore Breanna Newton is the lone Trojan on the injured list but will hopefully return to practice within the week.

In recruiting news, Wyoming standout Taylor Whitmore will be making an official campus visit in October.  Taylor who placed second in the state in the 800m (1:59.60) and 10th in the cross country championships (17:32) would be an outstanding addition to the HLG Men's team!

Rain Makes For Long Weekend

For the men and women of the HLGU Cross Country team the trip to Joplin for the 2011 Southern Stampede was going to be more then just a race. It was about serving a community that had been destroyed by a devastating tornado. The idea was to race on Saturday morning and then head out and do some tornado cleanup. However the Lord had other plans. There are lots of times that I wish I could control things like the weather, especially when people want to do good and serve, this was one of those times.

The rain we had in Joplin on Saturday



We arrived at the course at just after 7:30 am with the clouds building to the west we knew it was going to rain we just did not know how much. Shortly after the Lady Trojans warmed up and headed to the line for the start of the women's collegiate race lightening struck and we were in our first delay. Quickly we rushed to the Legget and Platt Center where we would hopefully wait out the storm. Four hours later we were hopeful as they announced that the women's race would start at noon. So the lady Trojans got back on the indoor track and warmed up. Just before we were to head to the line and go out into the rain, another lightening strike and another delay.  This one would only last about an hour, as it was announced that Missouri Southern State had cancelled the meet due to the weather.



Waiting for our Race in Legget and Platt Center



As it was clearly obvious that we would not be able to serve outside, we got the word that not only would we not be running this weekend, but we would also not be serving. As a coach I was OK that we weren't running; I mean who wants to run in a downpour. But I was very disappointed that we did not get to serve. I thought the Lord was supposed to bless us when we serve and help others? Maybe that is the lesson here that we aren't blessed when we serve, but that there is an active enemy trying to prevent us from serving, and loving others to spread the Gospel. After a nice bus ride back and after thinking about it I realized that I cannot control the weather. I know that the Lord has plans for this team and I believe everything happens for a reason. We as a team wanted to serve the people of Joplin and we will have our chance to do that it just wasn't this weekend.



Pair of Trojans Take AMC Honors for the Week

A pair of Trojans took home runner of the week Honors in AMC (American Midwest Conference) for their outstanding performances in the HLG Trojan Invite. Philiph Tonui took home the men's honor after setting a new course record and blistering the field and winning by over a minute. Nicole Griesbaum took home the women's honor for the week after running her first ever cross country race and finish third running just over twenty minutes.  Philiph has been honored as the runner of the week by the conference multiple times. For Nicole this is the first time that she has won the conference honor. Congratulations to each of them for their outstanding performances this week.  You can read all about the honor by following the link below. http://www.amcsportsonline.com/index.php

Trojan Men and Women Win Home Meet

A week after running in very hot and humid conditions the Trojan men and women returned back to Hannibal for a little home cooking. At the third annual HLG Trojan invite the men women ran to the team titles. The women utilized pack running strategy putting all six runners that ran in the top 15. Nicole Griesbaum was the first lady Trojan to cross the line running (20:26) in her first ever cross country meet. She was followed closely by Mandi Riddle (20:43) and Jennifer Yoder (20:41). The women finished with an amazing pack time of 1:17 for the 5K course. Right behind Jennifer Yoder was Sarah Erickson( 20:44), Sarah Wilson(21:10) and Jessica Bailey(21:43). For the women it was a particularly good meet, they beat Ashford University, and Benedictine University of Springfield to take home the team title. This was the first full 5k that the women's team had run, next week it is on to Joplin and the Missouri Southern Stampede one of the largest cross country meets in the nation.

On the men's side the HLG Trojan Invite was the first 8K(5mile) of the season. Lead once again by Philiph Tonui (25:56) the Trojan men defended there home turf and ran to the team title. The men beat Ashford University, Quincy University( NCAA Div. II), Benedictine University at Springfield, and Culver Stockton College. Philiph broke 26 minutes on the new course setting a new course record and firmly establishing himself as a runner to watch within the AMC conference. Behind Philiph was talented freshmen John Bedsworth (27:52), Troy Pace (28:30), Tyler Malone (28:40), Bret Jones(28:48) Zach Lewis (29:34) and Edward Gregg(33:56). For many of these guys it was there first 8k they had ever run. The men accomplished quite a bit today, learning to race five miles, but more importantly learning to run as a team and help each other out.  With the home meet in the rear view mirror we look ahead to our first long trip of the season.

Next week we are headed to Joplin, and the Missouri Southern Stampede. We are going to run but we are also going to spend some time serving the people of Joplin, which was devastated by a tornado in may. Hoping to be a little bit of a light to the community after we run.  Pictures and stories to follow.

Trojan Cross Country Opens 2011 Campaign at Illini Challenge

The 2011 Cross Country season opened up for both the Trojans and lady Trojans at the University of Illini Challenge. The meet was held in extreme conditions with temperatures in the upper nineties and high humidity. Despite the conditions the women's team fared very well against mainly NCAA Division I competition In this 4k race. Breanna Newton was the top finishing Lady Trojan with a 22nd place finish. She was followed by sophomore Mandi Riddle (17:20; 37th), sophomore Sarah Erickson (17:23; 38th) and freshman Jennifer Yoder (17:35; 41st). Rounding out the top five for the ladies was junior Jessica Bailey (18:14; 47th). Overall it was a great way to start the season.

On the men's side conditions were just as extreme. The men ran at 7pm and although the temperature had dropped to the high 80's or low 90's the humidity was a factor for the men. The race was a 6k and like the women's race was mainly Division I competition. Teams that competed were from (Butler, Purdue, University of Illinois, Danville Community College and the University of Illinois Club Cross Country team).  Senior Philiph Tonui was the top runner, finishing the 6K in 22nd place with a time of 19:59. Freshman Troy Pace (21:31; 48th) and sophomore Tyler Malone (21:57; 53rd) were the next two Trojans to cross the finish line. They were followed by senior Zach Lewis (22:32; 57th) and senior Brett Jones (23:26; 59th).

It was a great way to start the season with some very good competition on a great course. This is just the first step in long season. The next step is the HLG Trojan Invite on Saturday September 10th on the campus of Hannibal LaGrange University.

2011 Cross Country Season Schedule

Here is a look at our 2011 Cross Country Schedule just follow the Link bellow to see where we will be. Come and see the HLG Trojans run.

http://www.hlg.edu/athletics/sport-schedule.php?id=9 



HLG Cross Country Camp 2011



Our team at the Holland Community Garden



The HLG Cross Country team recently returned home from our annual cross country training camp. This year camp was held at Camp Mirale in Lawton Michigan. We were there for six days and although the focus was on running and preparing for our upcoming 2011 season, we did more then just run. We spent time learning how to face challenges by doing a high ropes course, serving and getting to know our new coach. The high ropes course was espicaly fun as we encouraged and supported our teammates to, push through the fear and uncertaintly. It certainly helped us grow together. We spent at day at Lake Michigan playing in the waves, and running to the top of warren dunes. One of the best things about the week long camp was the service opportunity we had at the Holland Community Garden. This Graden grows naturally organic food for many local charaties including serving local seniors. There we mowed grass, pulled weeds, moved railroad ties and spread about 2 tons of mulch (I could be wrong but it seemed like that much). The trip was a great way to begin a new season and a new era here at HLG, we grew closer as a team, coaching staff and more importantly we grew closer to Christ who has given us everything we need. Here are a couple of pictures from the week. 



High Ropes Fun

Padden & Towsend Earn All-American Honors at NAIA Meet

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team wrapped up a historic season at the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships this past weekend in Marion, Indiana, on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.  A total of six Trojan athletes represented HLG at the meet and came through with some great results.

Andre Townsend - 2011 All-American

Junior hurdler Andre Townsend kicked off the action for the Trojans on Thursday by competing in the preliminary round of the 110 meter hurdles. Andre recorded the second fastest time of the prelims with a school record performance of 14.17 seconds. The following day, Andre earned a place in the finals with a time of 14.37 seconds. Later that afternoon Andre competed in the finals and, despite stumbling badly just before the first hurdle, he recovered enough to post a time of 14.34 seconds, which was good for 6th place and a spot on the awards podium as an All-American. Andre becomes the first multiple All-American in HLG history as he also earned those honors in the 60m hurdles during the indoor season.

 

Easton Padden - 2011 All-American

 On Saturday, freshman Easton Padden competed in the pole vault and also earned a place on the All-American podium. Easton had a career best day, clearing the bar at 4.90 meters (16'0.75") on his second attempt, allowing him to finish 5th overall. Easton's mark also established a new school record which he previously held.

 Philiph Tonui crossing the marathon finish line.

Also on Saturday, a pair of Trojans competed in the marathon. Junior Philiph Tonui ran in the top ten of the pack for the entire race and finished in 8th place out of 71 competitors with a time of 2:33:00.30. Philiph's effort in his marathon debut also earned one point for the men's team and helped the trio score a combined 8 points, which ted them for 34th place in the meet (out of 120+ teams in attendance).

Nicole Griesbaum finishing the marathon

Freshman Nicole Griesbaum also made her marathon debut and, despite qualifying late and being limited in her training, came through with a strong effort. Nicole took a conservative approach, getting out slowly but consistently increasing her pace throughout the early stages of the race. Nicole ended up running a very consistent pace throughout the latter half of the race, passing over a dozen competitors over the last 5 miles. Her finishing time of 3:27:19.60 was good for 38th place out of 60 competitors.

Freshman Breanna Newton wrapped up a stellar year by competing in the 1500m run. Due to the poor weather, Thursdays preliminaries were canceled and all of the competitors were advanced to Saturday's finals. Breanna raced to a 13th place finish with a time of 4:46.10. Sophomore Holland McCoy competed in the high jump and, despite several strong attempts, she was unable to clear the opening height of 1.60m.

The 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Nationals Championships completes the season for Hannibal-LaGrange. We would like to thank all of our family, friends, classmates school administrators, and competitors for all of your support this season. It has been a tremendous season, dating back to cross country and we could not have had the success we did without everyone cheering us on and praying for us daily. The returning members of the team can now begin to set their sights on next season, where expectations will be at an all-time high after a season that saw 13 national qualifiers, 3 All-Americans, and a conference championship for the women's outdoor team. 

And, for me (Coach Lewkowicz), I would like to thank everyone for making my three years at HLG so amazing. I have met so many great people and the support we have received from faculty, staff, and the community has been wonderful.While the Lord is pulling my family and me in a different direction, I know that I will always maintain a love for this place and this team. To my team, I repeat what I've told you before: you should feel really good about all that you have accomplished this year and how you have represented your university. However, do not be content, but stay hungry and keep the drive to continue to get better. Most of all, keep Christ first in all that you do...it is that aspect of this program that makes us different. It brings a sense of balance to our accomplishments and a sense of perspective to our failures. I am proud of you all and can't wait to see what you all accomplish under the leadership of Coach Jex and Coach Scott. I am, and will always be, proud to call my self part of the HLG family!

Easton Padden-16'1" in PV 5th place & All-American. Breanna Newton 13th in 1500m - 4:46.1. Holland McCoy- no height in high jump

Philiph Tonui placed 8th in marathon. Unofficial time: 2:32. Nicole Griesbaum completed marathon in 3:27.

Andre Towsend finished 6th in finals of 110m Hurdles w/time of 14.34. Stumbled badly out of blocks but recovered enough to earn All-American honors.

Andre Townsend ran 14.37 in semis of 110m Hurdles. Finished 2nd in heat and advanced to finals at 4:40pm EST today.

Andre competes in 110m Hurdle semis in 30 minutes. This place has nicest portable bathrooms I've ever seen!

Andre Townsend ran 14.17 in prelims of 110m hurdles, advancing to semifinals with second fastest time overall. He runs tomorrow at 1pm EST.

NAIA Championships start today. Andre Townsend will run prelims of 110m Hurdles at 2:40 EST today.

Griesbaum Qualifies as Trojans Wrap Up Regular Season

The last weekend of the regular season proved to be eventful as the Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team added one additional team member to the traveling party for the national meet next week in Indiana.

Competing in cold and rainy conditions, distance runner Nicole Griesbaum competed in the Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon in Quincy, IL on Saturday and completed the 13.1 mile course in a blazing time of 1:30:35. That effort established a new school record in the event and was well under the automatic qualifying time for the marathon at the 2011 NAIA National Championships. Nicole also finished as the second female finisher and was 13th out of 430 total competitors. Teammate Zach Lewis compete in the race as well, and he came through with a solid half marathon debut, finishing first in his age group and 18th overall in a time of 1:31:40.

Three members of the men's team competed in the Chicago area this weekend and, despite battling poor weather, came through with some solid performances.

On Friday, the group competed at North Central College. Chris Smith competed in the high jump and placed 6th with a best jump of 1.95m (6'4.75"). Andre Townsend placed 5rd in the 100m dash (10.83) and came back to take a 3rd place finish in the 200m dash (21.97). Both of those efforts established new school records that Andre already held. Easton Padden had another solid effort in the pole vault, placing 7th with a top vault of 4.72m (15'5.75").

With the regular season now complete, the following six  Hannibal-LaGrange track & field athletes will set their sights on the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, which will be held in Marion, Indiana, on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University, May 26-28:

WOMEN
Breanna Newton - 1500m
Nicole Griesbaum - Marathon
Holland McCoy - High Jump

MEN
Andre Townsend - 110m hurdles
Philiph Tonui - Marathon
Easton Padden - Pole Vault

Stay tuned to the blog for updates from the national meet!

Outstanding Efforts for Trio at Indiana University

RESULTS

A trio of Hannibal-Lagrange Track & Field athletes traveled to Bloomington, Indiana this past Friday to compete in the prestigious Bill Hayes Invitational, held on the campus of Indiana University. Each athlete came to compete against tremendous competition, and they rose to the occasion with some outstanding results.

Breanna Newton placed 3^rd in the 1500m run in a time of 4:40.22. Running in a heat of all NCAA Division 1 athletes, Breanna cut five seconds off of her personal best time and that time allowed her to be the 5^th HLG athlete to qualify for the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships later this month. The time also established a new HLG school record.

Easton Padden: Placed 4^th in the pole vault with a personal best and school record mark of 4.85m (15’11”). Easton’s mark surpasses the NAIA automatic qualifying standard for the championship meet and has him ranked #6 in the NAIA going into the final week of the regular season.

Andre Townsend: Has already qualified for the national meet in both the 110m hurdles and 400m Hurdles and competed in the 100m and 200m dashes at IU as he is working back into form after a mid-season injury. Andre placed 11^th in the 100m dash (11.02) and 12^th in the 200m (22.19) and both times established new school records.

Assistant Coach Jason Scott cleared 5.20m (17'0.75") in the pole vault to take home the victory in that event.

As we head into the final week of the regular season, a few more athletes will be competing to add to the growing list of HLG athletes who have qualified for the national meet. On Thursday, May 12, Carissa Eichmeyer will travel to St. Louis to compete in a 5K race walk. On Saturday, May 14, Nicole Griesbaum will be running the Bridge the Gap to Health Half Marathon in Quincy, IL in an attempt to qualify for the marathon, while Chris Smith (high jump) and John Anderson (400m Hurdles) will compete at a last chance meet hosted by Emporia State University in Emporia, KS.

The NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will be held May 26-28 in Marion, Indiana on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

Andre townsend goes 22.19 in 200m. Earlier in the day, Andre went 11.02 in 100m dash.

Easton Padden just cleared 15' 10" in pole vault and is still in the competition. That mark is well over the A standard for NAIA National meet.

Breanna runs 4:40.22 in 1500 to place 4th and qualify for NAIA National meet.

Meet at Indiana U starts at 3pm EST today. Will post results as they are available. Andre, Easton, Chris, and Breanna competing for Trojans today.

Women Claim AMC Outdoor Track & Field Title

RESULTS

During a three-day stretch that included countless clutch performances, the Hannibal-LaGrange University women's track & field team earned their first American Midwest Conference outdoor track & field championship this past weekend in Lebanon, IL. The ladies team score of 175 points outpaced three-time defending champion McKendree (155), William Woods (145), Park (83), and Missouri Baptist (68).

Consistency proved to be the key for the Lady Trojans as they were victorious in only four events. On day one of the meet, junior Jocelyn Bright stepped up for her last throw in the javelin in third place. However, Jocelyn unleashed a toss of 32.86m (107'10"), a nearly ten foot personal best,  to claim victory in the event.  Mandi Riddle capped off a terrific freshman year by taking the gold in both the 100m Hurdles (17.45) and 400m Hurdles (1:08.16). Senior Cara Grinde capped off her collegiate career by claiming victory in the pole vault, with a top vault of 3.20m (10'6').

In all, the Lady Trojans came through with 12 All-Conference performances. One of the highlights of the meet was the emergence of sophomore Holland McCoy, who scored points in six different events. Holland's effort included a runner-up finish in the high jump, where her leap of 1.65m (5'5") set a new school record and qualified her for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships. Holland finished 3rd in the 400m Hurdles, 3rd in the pole vault, 4th in the 100m Hurdles, 6th in the triple jump, and 4th on a record-setting 4x400m relay team. Freshman Breanna Newton continued her impressive debut by taking runner-up finishes in both the 800m (2:18.30) and 1500m (4:45.21) events. Both marks leave Breanna just shy of NAIA qualifying standards and she will have two more attempts to qualify before the end of the regular season.

Perhaps the most gutsy effort came from junior Jasman Edmond. Suffering an upper leg injury, and unsure of whether or not she would be able to compete at all in the championships, Jasman pressed on taking second place in the 100m dash in a school-record time of 12.62. She returned the following day to lead off the third-place finishing 4x100m relay team before ending her heroic effort by placing 5th in the 200m dash (26.93). In the 400m dash, freshman Sarah Wilson became the first HLG sprinter to break one minute in the open event, earning the silver with a time of 59.87. Sarah placed seventh in the 200m dash and competed on both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.

Nicole Griesbaum came through with big efforts in the long distance events, placing third in the 10,000m race (42:02.96) to earn All-Conference honors. Nicole followed up that effort with a fifth place finish in the 5000m run (20:30.28). Senior Carissa Eichmeyer placed second in the 5000m Race Walk (32:46.64) while teammate Chelsea Holmstrom placed third (40:36.17). Brittni Klundt fought through illness to finish 5th in the high jump, with a season best mark of 1.55m (5'1"). Freshman Molley Patrick took home All-Conference honors by way of her third-place effort in the discus (32.14m) while also placing 6th in the javelin (24.58m). Fellow freshman Cailey Wilkinson placed second in the pole vault (3.05m) to earn All-Conference status while also placing 3rd in the 100m Hurdles and 4th in the 400m Hurdles. Abbie Herrold placed 4th in the women's hammer throw (31.32m) while teammate Alera Gill-Binder took 6th place in the shot put (10.42m).

In all, the Lady Trojans earned 12 All-Conference awards and broke 6 school records. In addition, Head Coach Jason Lewkowicz was named the 2011 AMC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year.

An injury plagued men's team did not have the numbers to compete for a conference crown but that did not prevent them from putting forth a gutsy effort, highlighted by three event champions and seven All-Conference honors. The team finished 4th in the team standings, scoring a total of 93 points.

Junior Andre Townsend battled through a lingering back injury to win the 110m Hurdles. His time of 14.65 seconds hit the automatic qualifying standard for the 2011 Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Andre would return later in the meet to place third in the 200m dash with a time of 22.65. Sophomore John Anderson defended his title in the javelin, braking his own school and conference record in the event with his toss of 47.55m (156'0"). John also earned All-Conference honors  with his runner-up finish in the 400m Hurdles (56.54), while placing third in the 110m Hurdles (16.25) and leading off a school record breaking 4x400m relay team. Freshman Easton Padden earned his first outdoor track & field title in the pole vault with a best mark of 4.27m (14'0").

Junior Philiph Tonui helped the men's 4x800m relay team break the school record in the event with their third place finish (8:10.29) and returned a short while later to win the 10,000m run in a time of 33.17.39. Sophomore Zach Lewis wrapped up a solid season with a 5th place showing in the 800m race with a time of 1:58.10, while also competing on the 4x800m relay squad. Junior Chris Smith earned the silver in the high jump with a top leap of 1.96m (6'5") and just missed clearing 2.01m, a mark that would qualify him for the national meet. Junior Michael Clemons took home a 4th place finish in the triple jump with a best leap of 12.56m (41'2.5").

As of the conclusion of this meet, four HLG track & field athletes have qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National championships, which will take place May 26-28 in Marion, IN. Andre Townsend (110m Hurdles & 400m Hurdles), Philiph Tonui (10,000m & Marathon), Easton Padden (Pole Vault), and Holland McCoy (High Jump) have punched their ticket to nationals and teammates Breanna Newton (800 & 1500),  Chris Smith (high jump), and John Anderson (400m Hurdles) will travel to Bloomington, IN this Friday to compete in the Bill Hayes Invitational in hopes of also qualifying for the national meet. In addition, Nicole Griesbaum will be competing in a half marathon in Quincy, IL on May 14 in hopes of qualifying for the marathon at the national meet.

AMC Event Champions
Women
Mandi Riddle - 110m Hurdles & 400m Hurdles
Jocelyn Bright - Javelin
Cara Grinde - Pole Vault
Men
Andre Townsend - 110m Hurdles
Philiph Tonui - 10,000m
John Anderson - Javelin

All-Conference Honors
Women 
Jasman Edmond - 100m
Mandi Ridle - 100m Hurdles; 400m Hurdles
Sarah Wilson - 400m
Breanna Newton - 800m; 1500m
Nicole Griesbaum - 10,000m
Holland McCoy - High Jump
Cara Grinde - Pole Vault
Cailey Wilkinson - Pole Vault
Molley Patrick - Discus
Jocelyn Bright - Javelin
Men
Andre Townsend - 110m Hurdles; 200m
John Anderson - 400m Hurdles; Javelin
Philiph Tonui - 10,000m
Chris Smith - High Jump
Easton Padden - Pole Vault

New School Records
Women
Jasman Edmond: 100m (12.62)
Sarah Wilson: 400m (59.87)
Breanna Newton: 800m (2:18.30) & 1500m (4:45.21)
Holland McCoy: High Jump (1.65m - 5'5")
Sarah Wilson, Holland McCoy, Mandi Riddle, Breanna Newton: 4x400m (4:07.15)
Men
Andre Townsend: 110m Hurdles (14.65) & 200m (22.65)
Zach Lewis: 800m  (1:58.10)
Chris Smith: High Jump (1.65m - 6'5")
John Anderson: Javelin (47.55m - 156'0")
John Anderson, Zach Lewis, Jordan Creech, Brett Jones: 4x400m (3:31.14)
Zach Lewis, Brett Jones, Philiph Tonui, Edward Gregg: 4x800m (8:10.29)

Trojans Compete at SIU-Edwardsville

RESULTS

A small group of HLG athletes traveled to Edwardsville, IL on Saturday to compete in the SIU-Edwardsville Twilight Open. After rain delayed the start of the meet by nearly an hour, the Trojans took to the track and came through with some great results.

Breanna Newton ran a tremendous race in the 1500m, placing 2nd in a school record time of 4:46.17, a 5 second improvement over the previous record the she already owned. Breanna returned later in the meet to place 7th in the 800m with a time of 2:27.27. Sarah Wilson established a new school record in the 400m dash, finishing in 9th place in a time of 1:00.75. Mandi Riddle (1:09.50) placed second in the 400m Hurdles with teammate Holland McCoy (1:11.45) finishing right behind her in third place. In the pole vault, Cailey Wilkinson and Cara Grinde tied for the top spot, with both clearing the bar at 3.12m. Jocelyn Bright battled slick conditions to place 4th in the javelin (27.52m).

On the men's side, Zach Lewis set a new school record in the 800m, completing the race in 1:59.65. Edward Gregg set a new personal best in the 1500m run, finishing the race in a time of 4:23.75. John Anderson raced to a 4th place finish in the 400m Hurdles with a time of 57.13 while teammate Jordan Creech placed 7th (1:00.58). Anderson added to his day with a 3rd place showing in the javelin. His toss of 47.39 matched his personal best and school record performance. Easton Padden placed 4th in the pole vault (4.27m) while Brett Jones finished 6th in a personal best vault of 3.96m. Bernardo Massuchin was only able to take one attempt in the long jump due to sustaining an injury. However, that first leap of 6.12m was good enough to place 5th in the event.

The team will now prepare for the upcoming American Midwest Conference outdoor track & field championships. The throwing events will take place in Thursday, April 28 at William Woods University in Fulton, MO while the remainder of the meet will take place April 29-30 on the campus of McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. The pole vault will kick off the competition on Friday at 3pm, while Saturday's events will begin with the 5,000m Racewalk at 9:30am.

Women Capture Team Title at IC Mid-Week Invite

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team mixed things up a bit this past week as they traveled to Jacksonville, IL for a midweek meet at Illinois College this past Wednesday. The Trojans were met with chilly (but rain free) conditions but that did not prevent the team from performing very well, highlighted by the women's team taking home top honors over the likes of McKendree, Principia, Maryville, and the host school. The injury battered men's squad performed well too, placing third in the team standings.

THE WOMEN
The Lady Trojans were solid in all aspects of the competition, taking home a total of 8 event titles. Jasman Edmond took home the 100m dash crown (12.99) with teammate Sarah Wilson placing third in her debut in the event. Wilson followed that performance with a victory in the 200m dash (27.14) while Breanna Newton placed 3rd in a time of 28.24. Christina Carter set a new personal best in the 800m race and came through victorious with her time of 2:36.71. In the 5,000m, Nicole Griesbaum finished in second place and shattered the school record with her time of 19.33.75. Sarah Erickson placed 4th (20:38) with teammate Amber Zinkula finishing 5th (21:25).

In the field events, Brittni Klundt and Holland McCoy tied for first place in the high jump (1.50m), while pole vaulters Cara Grinde, Holland McCoy, and Cailey Wilkinson completed a 1-2-3 sweep in the pole vault. Molley Patrick took home a gold in the discus with her toss of 32.32m. Jocelyn Bright also took home top prize, with her gold coming in the javelin (29.90m). For the third meet in a row, Abbie Herrold set a new school record in the hammer throw (33.92m), while adding a 3rd place finish in the discus and 4th place showing in the shot put. Alera Gill-Binder set a new personal best in the shot put (10.05m) and finished 3rd in the event.

THE MEN
Most of the men's team competed in events outside of what they normally do, but the group still saw some good results. John Anderson took home top honors in the 400m Hurdles, finishing the grueling race in 58.21.
Philiph Tonui took a break from his marathon training to place third in the 800m with a time of 2:02.18. Jason Cline set a new personal best in the 5K, winning the silver with his time of 17:15.75.

In the field events, Bernardo Massuchin placed 2nd in the triple jump (12.73m) following a 5th place showing in the long jump (6.38m). Mike Clemons finished right behind Massuchin in both events, placing 3rd in the triple jump (12.69m), and setting a new personal best in the long jump with his 6th place leap of 6.19m. Easton Padden placed 2nd in the pole vault (4.57m), falling only to assistant coach Jason Scott who cleared 4.87m. Branden Ramos placed 3rd in the javelin, taking home the bronze with his toss of 40.11m. Chris Smith placed 4th in the high jump, clearing the bar at 1.87m.

Things Heat Up for Trojans at CMU

RESULTS

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team made a return visit to Central Methodist University for the Asics Invitational this past weekend. The Trojans battled an untimely heat wave to post some of their top times of the season so far.

On the men's side, sophomore Bernardo Massuchin led the way with a pair of 6th place finishes in the long jump (6.68m - 21'11") and triple jump (12.95m - 42'6"). Bernardo's effort in the triple jump established a new school record in the event, the first of four new records set on the day. Easton Padden took home the silver in the men's pole vault, clearing the bar at 4.45m (14'7.25) while teammate Brett Jones set a new personal best, placing 8th with a mark of 3.85m (12'7.5"). Chris Smith had his second straight solid performance in the high jump, placing 9th with a mark of 1.86m (6'1.25").

On the track, the men got a solid performance from sophomore John Anderson, who set a new personal best in the 400m hurdles with a finishing time of 56.75 seconds. That time gave John a 10-place finish in the event and stands as the number two time in the HLG record book. In the 800m race, sophomore Zach Lewis lowered his own school record time, placing 12th with a time of 2:01.02.

The women's team had a number of strong showings, highlighted by the record setting performance of Mandi Riddle, as the freshman placed 10th in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:07.90. Mandi's effort placed her at the top of the school record list for the event. Breanna Newton had another strong showing in the 1500m race, placing sixth with a time of 4:52.75. Sprinter Jasman Edmond put together a pair of good races, placing 13th and 15th, respectively, in the 100m (12.86) and 200m (26.68) dash events.

In the field events, senior Cara Grinde was the runner-up in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 3.20m (10'6"). High jumpers Brittni Klundt and Holland McCoy took home top-10 finishes as the pair tied for 9th in the event, clearing 1.50m (4'11").

The team will enjoy a rare weekend off before making a mid-week trip to Illinois College on Tuesday, April 19.

Trojans Show Improvement at WashU Invite

Andre Towsend competing in the 400m Hurdles

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team spent this past Friday and Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis. At a meet that included over 1,500 athletes from over 20 teams, the Trojans performed very well, once again rewriting the record books, while turning in two more NAIA national qualifying performances.

Tyler Malone setting new personal best in 800m

MEN
On Friday night under the lights, junior Philiph Tonui competed in the 10,000m race. Running in a separate heat that included the top-18 competitors, Philiph ran to a 5th place finish. His time of 32:00.03 set a qualifying standard for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships. However, Philiph will continue to train to compete in the marathon at the national meet. On Saturday, the Trojans got some great results from the field events. Sophomore Bernardo Massuchin took home the silver in the long jump, turning in a best mark of 6.62m. Newcomer Chris Smith traded in his basketball shoes for some high jump spikes and had a fantastic debut, taking 5th in a highly competitive high jump event. In addition, his leap of 1.90m (6'2.75") set a new school record. In the men's pole vault, sophomore Easton Padden took home a third place finish with a vault of 4.40m (14'5.5"). On the track, Andre Townsend made his season debut in the 400m Hurdles and, despite nursing an injured back that has limited his training, delivered a 4th place finish in the event with a NAIA-qualifying time of 54.56. In the same event, sophomore John Anderson placed 9th with a time of 58.62. In the 800m race, sophomore Zach Lewis ran a strong race, cutting two seconds off of last week's efforts on his way to a time of 2:01.71. Freshman Tyler Malone shaved three seconds off his time, finishing in 2:03.04.

Breanna Newton - New School Record-1500m

WOMEN
The Lady Trojans were led by the outstanding effort of sophomore Holland McCoy, who finished the two-day meet with three top-10 finishes. After placing 4th in the pole vault with a personal best mark of 3.05m (10'0"), she returned on Saturday to tie her personal best in the high jump, with a 7th place effort of 1.50m (4'11"). Holland concluded the meet by finishing 9th in the 400m hurdles, with a time of 1:11.79. Breanna Newton also ran very well for HLG, as the freshman made her debut in the 1500m race memorable, finishing in sixth place with a time of 4:51.77. After that school record setting performance, Breanna came back and finished 12th in the 800m race (2:24.02). Junior Jasman Edmond turned in solid efforts in the 100m (12.84-13th) and 200m (26.81-16th) events, while teammate Sarah Wilson set a new school record in the 400m with her 8th place time of 1:00.92. Sarah came back in the 200m to finish in 17th place with a time of 26.90. Senior Carissa Eichmeyer collected HLG's lone gold of the meet, winning the 5,000m race walk with a time of 32::08.00. Later on Friday night, freshman Nicole Griesbaum set a new school record in the 10,000m run, placing 10th with a time of 41:53.92. Mandi Riddle improved her time in the 400m hurdles, placing 8th overall with a time of 1:08.97. The ladies got two more top-10 efforts in the field events, with Cara Grinde earning the silver in the pole vault (3.20m-10'6") and sophomore Brittni Klundt placing 9th in the high jump (1.50m-4'11"). Freshman Molley Patrick made her track & field debut in the discus and placed 12th with a toss of 32.62m (107'0"). Sophomore Abbie Herrold made her season debut in the hammer throw and turned in a school record effort, placing 19th overall with her throw of 31.00m (101'8").

Sarah Wilson on her way to record setting mark in 400m

Brett Jones clearing the bar in the pole vault

The team will travel back to Fayette, MO to compete in the CMU Asics Invite on Saturday while Nicole Griesbaum, Sarah Erickson, Jason Cline, and Nathan Uding will make the trip to Jackson, TN to compete in the Andrew Jackson Memorial Half-Marathon, with hopes of hitting a qualifying time for the marathon at the NAIA National Championships in May.

Trojans Have Productive Showing at Baker Relays

 Easton Padden clears 15'5" in the pole vault (photo:Karen Peck)

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team made the trek to Baldwin City, Kansas to compete in the 70th Annual Baker Relays this past Friday. Although the Trojans were again faced with chilly weather conditions, the team came out and competed very well.

Cara Grinde cleared 3.20m to claim victory in the pole vault (photo:Karen Peck)

The meet was highlighted by the performance of freshman pole vaulter Easton Padden, whose victorious mark of 4.70m (15'5") in the pole vault qualified him for the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, which take place at the end of May in Marion, Indiana. The Montana native was at home in the cold weather and had no problem clearing the mark needed to qualify. Fellow pole vaulter Cara Grinde was also victorious in the event on the women's side, clearing 3.20m (10'6"). In other field event action, Brittni Klundt returned to action in the high jump and came home with a solid 4th-place finish (1.49m) while Mandi Riddle finished 5th in the triple jump (9.99m) in her outdoor collegiate debut in the event. Jordan Creech led the men in the javelin, setting a new personal best with his toss of 43.48m, which was good for 8th place in the highly competitive event.Mike Clemons had a fourth place effort in the triple jump (12.04m) while teammate Bernardo Massuchin placed 6th in the long jump (6.46m).

Mandi Riddle racing to victory in the 400m Hurdles (photo:Karen Peck)

On the track, the women were led by Mandi Riddle, who was victorious in the 400m Hurdles, finishing in a time of 1:09.78. Breanna Newton competed in the 800m run and was the event runner-up with her time of 2:24.23. In the sprints, Sarah Wilson gave a strong effort in the 200m, finishing in 4th place (27.06) while teammate Jasman Edmond took 5th in the 100m dash (12.92). In the women's 5K, Nicole Griesbaum set a new school record in her debut in the event outdoors, placing 5th with a time of 20:09.27. Teammate Sarah Erickson, placed 8th in a personal best time of 20:57.10. The women's 4x400m relay team of Sarah Wilson, Holland McCoy, Mandi Riddle, and Breanna Newton broke the school record in that event by way of their 3rd place finish (4:20.27).

Jasman Edmond competing in the 100m dash (photo:Karen Peck)

The men were led on the track by John Anderson, as the sophomore from Hannibal finished as the runner up in the 400m hurdles. His time of 57.67 was just shy of his personal best and school record mark set last year. Andre Townsend made his outdoor debut as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, but that did not prevent him from cruising to a 3rd place finish in the 400m dash, setting a new school record with his time of 49.86. In the 800m, Zach Lewis ran a strong race and held on for a 6th place finish in the event. His time of 2:03.51 set a new school record in the event. Senior Jason Cline competed in the 5K and set a new personal best with his 9th place finish (17:17.71).

Zach Lewis setting a new school record in the 800m

COACH COMMENTS: I was pleased with how the team battled through the cold and competed very well. We had another tough week of practice and have some soreness and fatigue that we are working through but I believe that this team will continue to show marked improvement each week and hopefully we can catch some spring weather soon!

With his NAIA qualifying performance, Easton Padden became the second HLG Trojan to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor national meet. Easton and the rest of the team will be back in action this Friday and Saturday at the Washington University Invitational in St. Louis, MO.

Trojans Open Outdoor Season at CMU

RESULTS

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team opened up the outdoor portion of their season this past Saturday, traveling to Fayette, MO to compete in the Central Methodist Open. While the meet began under sunny skies, it soon gave way to a cold and steady rain that persisted for most of the meet. However, that did not keep the Trojans from posting several solid performances, including two event championships and four new school records.

WOMEN
The Lady Trojans were led by the strong showings of senior Cara Grinde and freshman Breanna Newton. Cara kicked off the outdoor season in style by winning the pole vault with a mark of 3.35m (10'11.75"). Later on in the day Breanna battled a cold and steady rain to place second in the 800m. Her time of 2:22.18 set a new school record in the event, which was her first collegiate outdoor meet.

On the track, junior Jasman Edmond placed 10th in the 100m dash with a time of 13.17, while freshman Sarah Wilson placed 9th in the 200m with a time of 27.47. Mandi Riddle made her debut in the 400m hurdles and placed 8th overall with a time of 1:11.67.

MEN
The men's team saw a number of school records fall in the field events. In the men's pole vault, freshman Easton Padden took home the top place with a mark of 4.40m (14'5.25"). After missing the end of the indoor season due to injury, sophomore Bernardo Massuchin returned to form in the long jump, finishing in a tie for 3rd place with a leap of 6.70m (21'11.75"). sophomore Micheal Clemons had a tremendous day a well, placing 3rd in the triple jump with a mark of 12.74m (41'9.75"). All three of those efforts set new school records in the respective events. In the javelin, defending AMC champion John Anderson battled the rain and slippery footing to finish 6th with a toss of 42.43m (139'2"), with teammate Branden Ramos finishing in a tie for 8th place in his debut in the event with a throw of 41.37m (135'9").

On the track, the men got a strong effort from junior Philiph Tonui, who placed 4th in the 5,000m with a time of 15:39.56. Freshman Cole Peck returned from an injury that ended his indoor season prematurely and raced to a 9th place finish in the 200m dash (23.59). John Anderson found success on the track as well, as the sophomore coupled his top-10 finish in the javelin with a 6th place effort in the 400m hurdles (58.14).

Coach Comments: It was great to finally get outdoors and, despite the rain, I thought we had some strong efforts. I was real pleased with several of our field event athletes, especially Mike Clemons, who gave us a glimpse of the potential he has. Easton and Cara battled tough conditions to win the pole vault and I liked the toughness I saw out of each of them.We will build off of this experience and hopefully it will serve as a springboard for rapid improvement over the coming weeks.We are dealing with a load of injuries, so getting everyone healthy for the home stretch is key. With so many young runners, I expect to see a lot of week-to-week improvement so that should be exciting.

The Trojans will travel to Baldwin City, KS this Saturday to compete in the 70th running of the Baker Relays, hosted by Baker University.

Andre's Race

Here is a link to the finals of the 60m Hurdles at the NAIA Indoor National Championships. Andre is in Lane 2 on the outside.We're working on getting a video directly on the blog. Thanks to Mrs. Padden for capturing the action!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=197791196912065

Trojans Compete at NAIA Indoor Nationals

Five members of the Hannibal-LaGrange track & field team traveled to Geneva, Ohio to compete in the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, which were held March at the GaREAT Complex near Lake Erie.In what has been a historic start to the track & field season, the group made sure to continue that trend as the indoor season came to a close.

Andre Townsend - 2011 NAIA Indoor track & Field All-American!

(photo:Carissa Eichmeyer)

Junior Andre Townsend (Chicago, IL) became HLG's first track & field All-American as he was the runner-up in the 60m Hurdles. Andre's time of 7.98 in the finals was just 0.02 seconds behind the winner, Edward Stewart of Central Methodist. After a solid run in the prelims, Andre slipped out of the blocks in the semifinals and, after nearly falling just before the first hurdle, he managed to recover a qualify for the finals with the 7th best time. With only eight athletes qualifying for the final, Andre was assigned to lane 1, which was not ideal considering the top runners get the middle lanes. However, Andre showed up to the track on Saturday  determined to not let that hold him back and ran a tremendous race in the finals. In addition to Andre being recognized as the AMC's only All-American, his eight points scored in the 60m hurdles allowed HLG to finish in a tie for 24th place out of 55 scoring teams in the championship meet.

Andre showing off his hard-earned hardware!

(photo:Carissa Eichmeyer)

Junior Philiph Tonui (Kericho, Kenya) competed in the 5,000m run on Thursday. After battling illnes for much of the past two weeks, we knew that he wasn't going to be at 100%. However, Philiph ran a brave race and ended up placing 20th overall with a time of 15:11.40. This time was a personal best for Philiph and broke his own school record in the event. Philiph's time was also a 24 second improvement over his 5K race at last year's Indoor national meet.

Freshman Easton Padden (Laurel, MT) competed in the pole vault. After clearing the opening height of 4.50m (14'9"), he had three strong attempts at the next height, especially his first, where he was a foot over the bar but hit it on the way down. Unfortunately Easton was not able to clear the second height but still managed to place 13th in the event.

Freshman Breanna Newton (Rochelle, IL) competed in the 1,000m run. Last month at Cedarville, Breanna ran the same race, qualifying with an automatic time in her debut in the event. Much like Philiph, Breanna spent most of nationals week dealing with sickness but she went out and gave a gritty performance. Knowing that she had to be in the top two of her preliminary heat to qualify, Breanna went out and was aggressive and the race's outset. With one lap to go (300m), she found herself side by side with eventual champion Jessica Smith of Simon Fraser. Unfortunately she was not able to hold that position and ended up placing 7th in her heat. Breanna's final time was 3:02.49, which was good for 15th place in her inaugural track national meet.

Senior Carissa Eichmeyer (Marthasville, MO) competed in the 3,000m race walk and came through with a 12th place finish in a time of 18:44.26. After getting a late  start to the indoor season due to an injury, it was a great accomplishment for Carissa to qualify once again for the national meet and, with her just now starting to get back into form, she is looking forward to a strong showing during the outdoor season.

 HLG Track & Field team at NAIA Indoor Nationals

(photo:Carissa Eichmeyer)

After enjoying Spring Break, the HLG Track & Field team will head outdoors for the second half of their season. With this move brings renewed hopes and the pursuit of an AMC championship and additional qualifiers for the NAIA Outdoor championships in May. The team will compete in their first outdoor meet on March 19 at Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO.

Women 2nd, Men 4th at AMC Meet

RESULTS

The Hannibal-LaGrange University track & field team traveled to Columbia, MO this past Friday to compete in the Missouri Collegiate Challenge, a meet that served as the American Midwest Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Trojans put forth a very strong effort with the women finishing as the conference runner-up while the men, competing without two of their top athletes due to injury, placed 4th, just 20 points shy of second place.


Sarah Wilson (400m) & Mandi Riddle (600y)-2011 AMC Champions

WOMEN

The Lady Trojans scored a total of 186 points to place second behind McKendree. The young squad relied on a strong group of freshmen to lead the way, highlighted by the efforts of Breanna Newton. The newcomer from Rochelle, IL was named the AMC Female Track Athlete of the Meet after winning the 800m and mile races, while also anchoring the winning Distance Medley Relay squad. Sarah Wilson kept the momentum going with a victory in the 400m, which was followed by a second-place finish in the 200m. Sarah also contributed to the DMR victory to wrap up an excellent day. Also on the winning DMR squad, Mandi Riddle was also victorious in the 600 yard dash while placing second in the 1000m. Mandi wrapped up the day by placing 4th in the triple jump.

Cailey Wilkinson overcame an off-day in the pole vault by winning the 60m hurdles while newcomer Nicole Griesbaum continued to make an impact for the Lady Trojans, winning the 3,000m race after placing second in the 5,000m earlier in the day. Jasman Edmond, the final piece of the winning DMR squad, showed upperclassman leadership by placing 2nd in the 400m race and 4th in the 60m dash. Competing at the Missouri All-Comers meet the following day, senior Carissa Eichmeyer was victorious in the 3,000m Race walk, making her the first AMC champion in that event.

In the field events, the Trojans were led by Cara Grinde, as the senior repeated as conference champion in the pole vault. Sophomore Abbie Herrold just missed being a conference champ herself, placing second in the wight throw, just 0.03m shy of the winning toss.

In addition to Breanna's award, the Lady Trojans came through with a total of nine event victories, with 10 athletes earning All-Conference accolades.

COACH COMMENTS: I was so proud of the effort the women put forth today. They came in with the goal of winning a team championship and, while we fell just short of that goal, they have an awful lot to be proud of. We got solid contributions from everyone and had some great results to show for it. I hope that this effort gives the team confidence going forth to know that they can accomplish a lot as a team if they keep working hard. With the outdoor season looming, we'll be able to keep tracking their progress.

Ethan Huff & Andre Townsend compete in 400m dash

MEN
The men's team finished 4th with 100 points, just 10 shy of third place Missouri Baptist, and 20 points shy of runner-up William Woods. The Trojans suffered two big setbacks earlier in the week as injuries prevented standouts Bernardo Massuchin and Cole Peck from competing in the meet. However, the men did compete represented HLG very well and kept the team in the thick of things throughout the meet.

Junior Andre Townsend wrapped up a stellar indoor regular season by earning the AMC Male Track Athlete of the Meet award after placing first in the 60m hurdles, 200m, and 400m. Junior Philiph Tonui battled sickness throughout the meet but was able to place second in the 1000m and third in the mile while anchoring the second-place Distance Medley Relay team in his final tune-up before the national meet. Tyler Malone, Edward Gregg, and Brett Jones completed the DMR squad that placed second, while Gregg teamed up with Zach Lewis, Ryan Bontz, and Nathan Uding to place second in the 4x800m relay.

In other racing action, Tyler Malone placed 4th in the 800m and 5th in the mile while John Anderson placed 3rd in the 60m hurdles and 5th in the 400m. Jason Cline came through with a 5th-place effort in the 3,000m and Edward Gregg placed 6th in the 600 yard dash.

In the field events, Easton Padden was victorious in the pole vault, while Alex Earls placed 7th in the shot put. Mike Clemons placed 7th in the long jump and set a new school record with his 8th place finish in a tough triple jump competition.

In addition to Andre's honor, the Trojans were victorious in four events with 10 individuals earning All-Conference recognition.

COACH COMMENTS: The men really came out and gave a great effort today. A lot of the guys were battling illness but persevered and came through with a lot of personal bests. Andre and Philiph were both solid and carried the team with a few key guys out. I liked the effort I saw from several of our younger guys, Zach Lewis and Ethan Huff, in particular, and they will be key as we continue to progress during the outdoor season. Overall, it was a great improvement from this time last year and the men's team has a lot to look forward to from here on out.

Five members of the track & field team now set their sights on the 2011 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, which take place March 3-5 in Geneva, Ohio. Andre Townsend (60m Hurdles), Philiph Tonui (5,000m), Easton Padden (Pole Vault), Breanna Newton (1,000m), and Carissa Eichmeyer (3,000m Race Walk) will represent the Trojans at the national meet. Stay tuned to the runHLG blog for updates from the national meet.