We are the Cross Country/Track and Field team at Hannibal-LaGrange University. We set this site up for family, fans, and recruits to see what we are up to. Stay tuned for more recaps, pictures, and videos throughout the year.
For more information, contact Tracy Jex, Head Coach, at tracy.jex@hlg.edu or (573)629-3221
Today at 5:45pm CST, Hannibal-LaGrange Assistant XC/Track & Field Coach Jason Scott will be competing at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field National meet, which is being held on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, IA. Coach Scott qualified for his first outdoor championship meet by virtue of his season best mark of 5.41m (17'9") which is tied for the 14th best mark in the nation.
Coach Scott has competed twice at the USA Indoor Championships, taking home a 4th place finish in 2009. We're excited to have Coach Scott represent HLG at the USA Championships and we'll provide a full re-cap at the conclusion of the meet.
Danielle Sturgeon & Jessica Curry are NAIA Scholar-Athletes!
The Hannibal-LaGrange Cross Country/Track & Field teams showed that they are committed to both academics as well as athletics, with several academic honors being bestowed on the team this off-season.
Individually, graduated seniors Danielle Sturgeon (House Springs, MO) and Jessica Curry (Coleridge, NE) both received Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards for track & field in 2010. This award, which is the NAIA's equivalent to an Academic All-American achievement, is presented to student-athletes of at least junior status who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. Danielle, who is also a 2-time conference champion in the pole vault and 4-time All-Conference performer, is receiving this award for the second year in a row.
All three HLG women's teams (Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field) were also honored with the distinction of being a NAIA Scholar Teams. This honor is earner by teams who have a combined cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0.
From Coach Lewkowicz: "I am extremely please by the academic achievements of our women's cross country and track teams this year. We stress a commitment to all phases of life and it is great to see their efforts in the classroom rewarded. I hope that this becomes a comment trend for our programs in the future."
As the final day of competition begins at the 2010 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, a trio of student-athletes from Hannibal-LaGrange have wrapped up their portion of the competition.
Running strongly in the top-10 through the first two miles of the 10,000m race, sophomore Philiph Tonui reaggravated a foot injury shortly thereafter and, despite considerable pain, bravely finished the race, placing 26th with a time of 33:23.89.
Junior Carissa Eichmeyer toed the line in the 5,000m racewalk nursing a nagging knee injury that has hindered her training. In a scorching midday heat, Carissa battled the elements and her knee to gut out a 15th place finish in a time of 33:30.37.
Junior Cara Grinde competed in the pole vault and, despite several good attempts, failed to clear the opening height of 3.43m, a mark she cleared earlier in the season to qualify for the championships.
Coach Comments: Once again, Cara, Carissa, and Philiph represented Hannibal-LaGrange well at the NAIA championships. It was tough to see both Philiph and Carissa struggle with their injuries. Their hearts and minds were right where they needed to be but their bodies just wouldn't let them go like they wanted to. I am so proud of them for not quitting when it was an option and for showing great determination, heart, and spirit to finish what they started. We came here with the primary goal of honoring Christ through our efforts and I hope that He is pleased with how our group represented Him.
The outdoor championships caps off a great year for HLG which saw the school gain its first ever cross country national qualifier and 7 track & field national qualifiers.
The team will now break for the summer, where the members of the cross country team will begin training for the upcoming cross country season. Stay tuned in the next few weeks for a press release on the new recruits for the upcoming season.
On Saturday, May 8, Cara Grinde became Hannibal-LaGrange's third qualifier for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships by clearing 3.43m (11'3") in the pole vault competition to tie for first place in the event.
The following HLG track & field athletes have qualified for Outdoor Nationals, which take place May 27-29 in Marion Indiana, on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University:
Carissa Eichmeyer: 5,000m Race Walk Cara Grinde: Pole Vault Philiph Tonui: 10,000m & marathon
The Hannibal-LaGrange track & field team once again re-wrote the history books as 11 new school records were set at this past weekend's American Midwest Conference Championships. Overall, it was a solid performance for the Trojans, with the women finishing 3rd in a tightly contested meet, while the men's team scored a 4th-place team finish.
WOMEN The women's team had an outstanding meet, coming away with a 3rd-place finish in a meet that went down to the final few events before a winner was determined. The Trojans were bolstered by 12 All-Conference performances over the course of the meet, as well as a sweep of the women's pole vault competition, where Cara Grinde set a new conference record with her vault of 3.26m (10'8.25").
The Lady Trojans dominated the field events over the course of the meet. In the javelin, senior Danielle Sturgeon placed second (31.82m) while teammate Caitlin McCoy placed 3rd (29.80m), giving both All-Conference honors. On top of Grinde's performance in the pole vault, Sturgeon captured 2nd place in the event (3.01m) with Amanda Miller placing 3rd (2.70m). Senior Eva Knowles wrapped up her career in style as she set a new school record in the long jump with a mark of 4.99m, an effort that placed 3rd in the event. In the women's triple jump, Holland McCoy took 2nd place (9.84m) while Jocelyn Bright overcame a hip injury to finish 3rd (9.83m).
In the running events, Sindy Chavez had a strong showing as the freshman placed 2nd in the 400m Hurdles while placing 3rd in the 100m Hurdles. National Qualifier Carissa Eichmeyer has been hampered by knee tendinitis, but managed to tough it out to place 2nd in the 5,000m race walk. Sarah Erickson took on the 3,000m Steeplechase for the first time and came away with a second-place performance. Jasman Edmond had a strong outing forthe Lady Trojans as she placed 5th in the 200m dash and 6th in the 400m race. The women's 4x400m relay team of Sindy Chavez, Holland McCoy, Casey Pilliard, and Caitlin McCoy smashed the school record in the event with their time of 4:22.14, which was good for 4th place.
Coach Comments: I am so proud of how the ladies came out and competed this weekend. We were a little short-handed due to some injuries but every single one of them gave all that they had to help the team be as successful as possible. This was a closely-contested meet and we were right in the thick of things throughout the meet. What I appreciate more than anything is the quality and character of the ladies in our program. On numerous occasions I witnessed them showing the love of Christ, whether it be praying with athletes from other teams, checking on an injured competitor, or offering congratulations on a good effort to someone from a different team. We talk about wanting to honor Christ though our efforts on the track and those are examples of what that looks like played out and I am just so proud of them for that. I feel really good about the future of this program and congratulate these young ladies on how well they represented HLG.
MEN Although the men's team has been small in numbers all season long, they proved once again that you cant place a number on heart and perseverance as the men scored 64 points en route to a 4th-place finish.
Leading the charge for the Trojans was the outstanding overall performance of John Anderson. John started off the meet by winning the javelin competition. John's toss of 47.39m not only won the competition, but in doing so, he set both school and conference records in the event. That effort was followed by All-Conference performances in both the 100m Hurdles (3rd-16.21) and 400m Hurdles (3rd-57.33). Both of those efforts also set new school records. Senior GheronDorsett saved one of his best meets for last as he captured 2nd place in the discus (38.55m) while placing 5th in the hammer throw (32.97m). In the jumps, Brett Jones captured the conference title in the men's pole vault (3.68m) while Bernardo Massuchin placed 4th in the long jump (6.18m).
National Qualifier PhiliphTonui came off of a month-long break to win the men's 10,000m run, pulling away from the competition over the last 600 meters to finish with a time of 32:19.41. Ben Griffin made his debut in the 3,000m Steeplechase and raced to a 4th place finish.
Coach's Comments: The men really impressed me with how they came out and competed this weekend. Obviously John had a tremendous meet and showed what an all-around athlete he is. I look for him to do big things next year as he progresses to becoming a decathlete. Brett's effort in the pole vault helped the team out and I thought that Ben really showed a lot of heart in the Steeplechase. His training has not been geared for that type of race, but he showed me that he has a future in that event going forward. Philiph has not raced in a month due to a pre-scheduled break and meet cancellations, so he was eager to come out and race and he did just that. He showed his toughness down the stretch as he held off challenge after challenge. I am excited to see him toe the line for the 10K at nationals in a few weeks. Bernardo put together a solid effort in the long jump and I believe that he can become a great jumper in the future. One again, I feel really blessed to be able to coach this group and they truly embody what it means to compete for Hannibal-LaGrange. With the group we have coming back, as well as the recruits coming in, the men's team will definitely be a factor next season.
In addition to all of the athletic plaudits achieved by the team over the weekend, the Trojans also had 19 individuals named to the AMC All-Academic Team, the most of any school in the conference.
Over the next two weeks, several Trojan athletes will continue to compete as they are either trying to hit a national qualifying mark, or are trying to stay sharp for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, which will take place May 27-29 in Marion, IN.
RECOGNITION FROM 2010 AMC CHAMPIONSHIPS Conference Champions Cara Grinde - Pole Vault
John Anderson - Javelin
Brett Jones - Pole Vault
PhiliphTonui - 10,000m
Conference Records Cara Grinde - pole vault (3.26m)
John Anderon - javelin (47.39m)
All-Conference Performers Jocelyn Bright - triple jump
Sindy Chavez - 100m Hurdles; 400m Hurdles
Carissa Eichmeyer - 5,000m race walk
Sarah Erickson - 3,000m steeplechase
Cara Grinde - pole vault
Eva Knowles - long jump
Caitlin McCoy - javelin
Holland McCoy - triple jump
Amanda Miller - pole vault
Danielle Sturgeon - javelin; pole vault
John Anderson - javelin; 100m Hurdles; 400m Hurdles
GheronDorsett - discus
Brett Jones - pole vault
PhiliphTonui - 10,000m
Academic All-Conference Performers Kelsey Anderson
Jocelyn Bright
Sindy Chavez
Heather Dixon
Jasman Edmond
Carissa Eichmeyer Sarah Erickson
Cara Grinde Abbie Herrold Eva Knowles
Caitlin McCoy
Holland McCoy
Amanda Miller
Casey Pilliard Danielle Sturgeon
John Anderson
Brett Jones
Rodrigo Scorza-Gaspar
The Hannibal-LaGrange track & field team entertained some special guests on Tuesday as the students from Mississippi Valley State School in Hannibal were treated to a field day inside of the Mabee Sports Complex. The event allowed the MVSS students to take part in activities that included soccer, basketball, baseball, bowling, and dodgeball. Student-athletes from men's & women's basketball, baseball, men's & women's soccer, men's & women's volleyball, and wrestling teams also lent their time and athletic ability for this event. After spending about 75 minutes playing at the different stations, the students were treated to a snack and group picture before heading back to their campus
"We had a great time today with the kids and staff from Mississippi Valley," said head XC/Track coach Jason Lewkowicz. The staff there does an incredible job with these amazing young people and it blessed me and all of our student-athletes to spend some time with them in such a fun way."
Jasman Edmond showed off her soccer skills
Holland McCoy and friend relaxing on the pole vault mats
The men and women of the HLG Track & Field team were off to a strong start at the SIUE Twilight Open on Saturday before a string of violent thunderstorms cut short the meet.
On the women's side, Brittni Bastean battled a soaked high jump apron to take second in the event at 1.53m. Brittni was one of only three competitors that were able to clear the opening height. Jocelyn Bright placed 6th in the triple jump, setting a new school record with her leap of 9.92m. Cara Grinde had a strong showing in the pole vault, placing 6th with a vault of 3.20m. Caitlin McCoy and Danielle Sturgeon followed closely behind, with both placing in a tie for 7th with a mark of 2.75m. Kelsey Anderson had her best showing of the season, placing 13th in the discus with a toss of 31.30m. Senior Heather Dixon had a strong showing in the 1500m race, winning her heat and placing 10th overall with a time of 5:27.36
The men's team had most of their events cut off due to the weather but were able to complete some events as well. John Anderson placed 10th in the 110m Hurdles in a time of 16.81. Ben Griffin set a new personal best in the 1500m run, placing 24th with a time of 4:24.43. Bernardo Massuchin placed 18th in the long jump with a mark of 5.83m and Gheron Dorsett placed 25th in the discus with a toss of 32.54m.
The team is now preparing for this week's American Midwest Conference Championships, which takes place April 29-May 1. On Thursday, the throwing events (shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer throw) will take place at William Woods University in Fulton, MO. The running and jumping events will take place beginning Friday afternoon at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL.
The Hannibal-LaGrange track & field team took a short trip to Jacksonville, IL to compete in the Illinois College Invitational on Tuesday. Depsite not bringing the entire team, the group had a strong showing, highlighted by the setting of 4 new school records and a third place team finish for the women.
Individual event winners included Cara Grinde (pole vault- 3.05m), Caitlin McCoy (javelin - 27.31m)and Sindy Chavez (400m Hurdles - 70.36). Caitlin also took second place honors in the pole vault, with a personal best mark of2.74m. Jasman Edmond (400m dash - 61.93)and Brittany Adkins (long jump - 4.43m) both took third place honors while Eva Knowles finished 4th in the 200m dash (28.79).
For the men, John Anderson finished 4th in both the 400m and 400m Hurdles, while Bernardo Massuchin added 5th place honors in the long jump to a pair of 6th place showings in the 100m and 200m events. Gheron Dorsett had another strong showing as the senior finished 5th in both the shot put and discus.
A portion of the team will compete this Saturday at the SIUE Twilight Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11am and will be the final tune-up for the team before next week's American Midwest Conference Championships.
On Sunday, April 18, junior Carissa Eichmeyer traveled to St. Louis, MO to compete in an open 5K racewalk event. While full race results have not been made available, it is confirmed that Carissa finished with a posted time of 29:57 for the event, which gives her an automatic qualifying mark for the 2010 NAIA National Championships, which will be held May 21-23 in Marion, IN. Congrats Carissa!
The HLG Track & Field enjoyed some beautiful weather on Saturday at the CMU/Asics Invite in Fayette, MO. In all, seven new team records were set in addition to 13 top-10 finishes.
For the women, Holland McCoy had a standout day as the freshman delivered 3 top-10 performances. After setting a new personal best mark in the high jump (1.50m), she went on to finish 8th in both the 400m Hurdles (1:12.74) and pole vault (2.53m). Jocelyn Bright set a new school record mark in the triple jump, finishing 4th with a top leap of 9.89m. Amanda Miller finished 5th in the pole vault (2.83m) and Eva Knowles 10th in the long jump (4.70m) to add to the 10 top-10 finishes for the ladies. Abbie Herrold had another strong showing, placing 14th in the shot put (10.39m) while setting a new record mark in the hammer throw (30.56m)
Sarah Erickson had another solid day as the freshman finished 10th in the 1500m run (5:22.95). Carissa Eichmeyer continued to progress in the 5K Race Walk, dropping nearly 30 seconds off her previous school record time to finish 4th in 31:35.17. The 4x100m relay team of Jasman Edmond, Amanda Miller, Sindy Chavez, and Eva Knowles improved their school record by racing to a time of 52.43, good for 8th place.
The men were led by freshman John Anderson who set two new school records. John started the day by taking 12th place in the 110m hurdles, with a new team record time of 16.51 seconds. Later in the day, John would take 10th place in the 400m hurdles (59.10) and he completed a busy day by finishing 8th in the javelin, breaking his own school record with a toss of 45.70m. Ben Griffin contined his rapid development as the freshman shaved two more seconds off of his 1500m time, finishing 14th with a time of 4:25.04. Gheron Dorsett led the way for the throwers, placing 19th in the discus (34.35m) and 21st in the shot put (11.14m).
The team will have this weekend off and will be in action again on Tuesday, April 20 at Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL.
