Strong start to season for Dutch women in track and field
Central College
PELLA — The Central College women’s track and field team showed balance with strong performances in a variety of disciplines at the Dutch Holiday Preview Saturday.
With 31 points, the Dutch placed fifth of 12 teams at the first meet of the year. Drake University won the team title with 139 points.
In the 300-meter run, a non-traditional event, sophomore Hope Heitman (Guttenberg, Clayton Ridge HS) blazed the track in 41.30 seconds. She took fourth behind a trio of Division I runners from Drake. Junior Kate Patton (Murray) was not far behind, placing seventh in 42.95.
“I thought those were very good runs,” associated head coach Jim Fuller said. “That leads me to believe that they will have really strong seasons in the 200 and 400.”
An All-American a year ago, weight thrower Lorell Stuht (senior, Loveland, Colo.) uncorked a throw of 51 feet, 3 inches to win the event. Her mark this year is nearly two feet ahead of where she was last season.
“That’s a really good start for her,” Fuller said. “She’s definitely ahead of where she was a year ago and she may have actually had some better throws during warm ups.”
Senior Morgan Koenigs (Mapleton, MVAO HS) has had a strong fall according to Fuller and it showed with a leap of 16-6 in the long jump, placing third.
“She jumped well,” he said. “I was happy with effort. She’s already right at her PR.”
Other placewinners for the Dutch included Whitney Burgardt (sophomore, Britt, West Hancock HS) in the 60-meter hurdles, Emma Drees (senior, Waukee) in the high jump, Emily Burt (freshman, Freeport, Ill.) in the shot put and Cassidy Gornick in the 3,000-meter run.
Aside from a small contingent of multi-event athletes heading to Kearney, Nebraska next weekend, the Dutch are off from competition until the Dutch Athletics Classic on January 21.
