Alexander, Busch Qualify in Last-Chance Events
William Penn University Athletics
Charleston, Ill./Pella–The Statesmen indoor track and field teams added to their postseason list as two individuals took advantage of one last chance Friday.
At the Eastern Illinois Friday Night Special, Tarah Alexander (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Undecided) and Payton Busch (Jr., Centerville, Iowa, Secondary Education) both punched their tickets to the NAIA National Championships. Alexander broke her own 1,000-meter run record with a winning time of 3:02.98; her mark met the provisional (‘B’) standard.
Busch also hit the ‘B’ standard in the 800-meter run by topping the field with a time of 1:56.02.
The duo gives WPU five individuals who will compete in six different national championship events. The other Statesmen competitors will include Meaghan Foster (Sr., Centerville, Iowa, Physical Education) (shot put), Derek Seddon (Jr., Knoxville, Iowa, Physical Education) (shot put, weight throw), and Cornelius McCastle (Jr., McKinney, Texas, Industrial Technology) (high jump).
CJ Watts (Sr., Rockville, Md., Physical Education) was also second in Illinois in the 400-meter dash (50.51 seconds), while Neiman Thompson (Sr., Rockville, Md., Physical Education) was fourth in that race in a time of 50.83. Thompson placed 10th in the 200-meterdash (22.80) as well.
Amani Richardson (So., Carrollton, Va., Exercise Science) joined Busch in the 800’s top 10, taking eighth in 1:58.79.
William Penn was allowed to crash the party at the Central-Simpson Dual with five athletes competing in mostly field events.
Kalob Gist (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management) led the male shot putters with a toss of 48-10.75. Meaghan Foster (Sr., Centerville, Iowa, Physical Education) matched him by also pacing the women’s shot-putting group at 39-3.25. She was also second in the weight throw at 49-11.25.
Taylor Richardson (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Undecided) posted a distance of 16-3.25 as the lone long jumper, while Alora Simmons (Sr., Newton, Iowa, Elementary Education) was fourth in the high jump at 4-9.5. Markenson Charles (Jr., Lehigh Acres, Fla., Industrial Technology) ended up sixth in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.99 seconds.
