Central women runners-up at Dutch Athletics Classic
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA — A plethora of top-three finishes led the Central College women’s track and field team in a runner-up effort at the Dutch Athletics Classic on Saturday.
With 175.5 team points, Central was just off the pace set by NCAA Division II Truman State University (Mo.) of 184 points.
“It was a solid day for where we are at right now,” coach Brandon Sturman said. “I think we’ll be fine. If we continue to take care of ourselves, those marks will get better.”
The hurdlers had several place-winning performances, led by winner Mary Gray (sophomore, West Des Moines, Waukee HS) in 9.69 seconds and Kiki Pingel’s (sophomore, Pella) third-place time of 9.81 seconds.
“Our hurdlers did well,” Sturman said. “We had to run everything a second time because of a glitch in the timing system. To come back and run again, it can be tough mentally.”
Gray and Pingel led the winning 4×400-meter relay team that also featured Courtney Kruthoff (sophomore, Erie, Ill.) and Lynzie Miller (senior, Des Moines, Lincoln HS) in a time of 4:15.26.
Miller was Central’s top finisher in the 200-meter run, clocking in at 27.47 in third place. The mile title belonged to Miranda Krusiwyk (freshman, Dunlap, Ill.) in a time of 5:22.73.
Pingel and Tori Van Velzen (junior, Cunning, Norwalk) each cleared the high jump bar at 4 feet, 11 inches to share the top spot. Gray was third in the same event at 4-9. Kruthoff was the long jump runner-up with a leap of 15-7.5
Holly Forrester (sophomore, Wamego, Kan., Rock Creek HS) was the top triple jumper in the field, reaching 34-1.5. Her teammate Yuan Bank (freshman, Littleton, Colo., Heritage HS) was second at 32-7.75
“Holly had a good day,” Sturman said. “Yuan improved tremendously from the first meet.”
Junior Emily Burt (Freeport, Ill.) secured runner-up finishes in both the shot put (40-10.5) and weight throw (46-11.75) while Kennedy Morris (sophomore, Earlham) was the weight throw champion (50-0.75).
Central will head west to Lincoln, Nebraska for the Prairie Wolf Invitational on Friday.
