Central women surge to second in NCAA relay
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.-A surge at the finish for second place in the women’s distance medley relay highlighted a strong opening day for Central College at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday.
Central also got a sixth-place finish in the women’s pentathlon from Olivia Bohlen (sophomore, Belle Plaine) and advanced Caroline McMartin (senior, Pella) in the women’s mile and Noah Jorgenson (senior, Sidney) in the men’s mile to Saturday final events.
With six of 17 events completed at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in the meet hosted by Norfolk State University (Va.), Central stands tied for sixth place in the women’s overall team standings with 11 points. Five Dutch women’s athletes received all-America distinction as Bohlen and the relay placewinners were cited.
After McMartin ran the mile just three hours earlier, the Dutch switched up the order for the distance medley relay, with McMartin taking the shorter 1,200-meter leg to lead off, with Abbi Roerdink (senior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) running the 400, Peyton Steffen (sophomore, Marion) on the 800-meter leg and Megan Johnson (senior, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) switching to the 1,600-meter anchor leg. Johnson emerged from the pack on the final lap and narrowly slid past Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) and MIT runners at the finish to take second in a school-record shattering 11:34.73. The previous mark set earlier this year was 11:41.47.
“It was a heck of a race,” coach Brandon Sturman said. “We kept Megan (Johnson) fresh so that she could go out there and give us everything she had and that’s exactly what she did. Caroline (McMartin) doubling after running the mile, did a phenomenal job. And Abbi (Roerdink) and Peyton (Steffen) kept it strong in the middle. Obviously, we would have loved to be national champs, that was our ultimate goal. But we’re still happy with second place. We made an improvement on last year, we broke the school record again and now we’re in the top 10 all-time in Division III.”
Bohlen added to Central’s powerful tradition in the multi-events, receiving Central’s fifth all-America award in the pentathlon and first since Mary Gray in 2020. She notched personal bests in four of the five pentathlon events including 9.01 seconds in taking fifth in the 60-meter hurdles. She recorded another PR in the high jump at 1.56 meters (5-feet, 1.5 inches) for sixth in the high jump, a personal best 10.85 meters (35-8.35) for seventh in the shot put, was eighth in the long jump at 17-2.75 and ninth in the 800 in a personal best 2:30.83. Bohlen finished with 3,493 points, also a career best that ranks second on Central’s all-time charts.
“She was pretty locked in and ready to go,” Sturman said. “It’s exciting to see how much growth she’s had since last year and I’m really happy and excited for her. She’s just getting better and better every time out there.”
McMartin blew past her own school record in the mile yet again. She was the ninth of 10 qualifiers, finishing in 4:48.84. Her previous mark was 4:52.75. She’ll race in Saturday’s finals at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).
“Caroline ran a very strategic race,” Sturman said. “She happened to be in the slower of the two heats and she was able to do what you need to do to stay up front in the top four and be an automatic qualifier for the final while still saving herself a little bit so she could run strong for the DMR.”
Jorgenson was the No. 3 qualifier in the men’s mile, finishing in 4:08.49. Adam Sylvia (fifth year, Rochester, Mass., Old Rochester HS) was 20th in 4:18.90 and didn’t advance. Jorgenson will race in the finals Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
“Noah happened to be in the faster of the two heats for the men but he still went out there and did what he needed to do,” Sturman said. “I feel confident that tomorrow he’ll be able to finish strong and hopefully walk out of there as an all-American.”
Roerdink failed to advance in the women’s 400 meters, despite a strong time of 57.12 seconds, just 0.11 off her career best. She placed 12th.
“She ran a great race and she finished faster than she’s ever finished, she just didn’t go out quite hard enough,” Sturman said. “But she gave it her all. It was her first time that she’s qualified in the open and I think she’ll learn from the experience. Hopefully we can get back there outdoors in the open and kind of redeem ourselves. But I’m very happy with what she’s done in her four years and couldn’t be more proud of her.
With Roerdink also in the distance medley relay, Sturman replaced her on Central’s 4×400-meter relay team. The unit of Lizzy Van Utrecht (freshman Ottumwa, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS), Emily McMartin (sophomore, Pella), Ava Parkins (freshman, Monmouth, Illinois, Burlington Notre Dame HS) and Abby Gruver (senior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS) was 11th in 3:53.78 and didn’t advance.
“We had to take Abbi off and put her in the DMR,” Sturman said. “It was one of those coaching decisions we had to make and they ran great. We had two freshmen, a sophomore who’s never run a 400 until this year and a senior who is running two-to-three seconds faster than she’s ever ran in her life. I was really proud of how they competed.”
Central’s men’s distance medley relay team of Sylvia, Noah Erickson (senior, Mount Vernon), Jack Brown (freshman, Norwalk) and Jorgenson placed 12th in 10:20.97. Sturman said some strategic moves didn’t pay off.
“It was just tough,” Sturman said. “It ended up just not working out the way we planned, and that’s part of the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t our year for the event but I’m still happy that these guys made it there. For Noah Erickson, this was his first time going to nationals. Hopefully he can use that as motivation for outdoor. And Jack Brown is just a freshman. He’s our future and the experience is worth more sometimes than getting on the podium for some kids. Hopefully he can help lead our program down the road and get some more kids to this level.”
In addition to the two finalists in the mile Saturday, the Dutch will have Gunner Meyer (sophomore, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) competing in the men’s high jump at 3 p.m. while Johnson races in the women’s 3,000 meters at 5:40 p.m.
