Nwagbaraocha Qualifies as Statesmen Host C-SC at WPU Invite
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–Vashti Nwagbaraocha (Sr., Milwaukee, Wis., Exercise Science) is heading back to nationals after leading the William Penn track and field teams at the William Penn Invitational Saturday.
On a day when the Statesmen faced off against fellow league foe Culver-Stockton in the meet, the senior had just one foe in her field, but fortunately did not need the competition to take to the record books.
Not only did Nwagbaraocha win the high jump, but she also broke her own school record with a jump of 5-7 (previous record was 5-6). The mark, which currently ranks third nationally, also eclipses the NAIA’s automatic standard. She now joins men’s 100-meter dash runners Chris Leiba (Jr., Olympia, Wash., Business Management) and Tristen Elmore (Jr., Ovied, Fla., Physical Education) as Statesmen national qualifiers.
Nwagbaraocha, who was also an outdoor qualifier last year, is coming off a women’s basketball campaign in which she earned First-Team All-America laurels.
A plethora of other WPU females also won their events.
Shelbie Williams (So., Hedrick, Iowa, Elementary Education) topped the navy and gold as she won both the shot put at 36-2.25 and the discus at 123-1.
In the sprints, Alexzandrea Woudenberg (So., Ottumwa, Iowa) took the 100-meter dash crown, and Raven Williams (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev.) won the 200 in 27.43 seconds.
Andrea Jaquez (Fr., San Antonio, Texas, Exercise Science) topped the 1,500-meter run field at 5:41.05, while Katherine Hunter (Fr., Bloomfield, Iowa) was first in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.99 seconds.
Elayna VanArsdale (Jr., Bensalem, Pa., Secondary Education) claimed gold in the hammer (132-0) and Becky Cleppe (Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla., Physical Education) was best in the javelin (99-5).
The 4×100-meter and 800-meter sprint medley relays were first as well in times of 50.94 seconds and 2:13.88, respectively.
The William Penn men also left the oval with numerous victories, headlined by Mofiyinfoluwa Alade (So., Hoffman Estates, Ill.) winning both the high jump at 6-4.25 and the 110-meter hurdles in 15.82 seconds.
Matthew Cuthbert (Sr., Yucaipa, Calif., Sociology) notched a pair of W’s as well, doing so in the discus at 136-6 and the hammer at 131-11. Also in the throws, Sage Ehresman (Jr., Sully, Iowa, Exercise Science) got the win in the shot put (41-1), while Tyler Albert (Sr., Eldon, Iowa, Engineering Technology) was first in the javelin (174-6).
On the sprinting side, Michael Hubbard (Sr., Gary, Ind., Exercise Science) was the first collegiate runner to cross the line in the 100.
Joel Brown (Fr., Columbus, Ga.) earned the 400-meter hurdles crown in 59.19 seconds, while Terry Jackson (Jr., Houston, Alaska, Biology) headed the 3,000-meter run race in 10:16.18. Jackson also won the 3,000-meter steeplechase event in 11:05.
Loys Parker (Fr., St. Louis, Mo.) swept the horizontal jumps, winning the long jump at 18-10.75 and the triple jump at 41-9.75.
The 4×1 (44.45) and the 800 sprint medley (1:41.24) produced victories as well.
Next Up: Some select individuals will travel to Lawrence, Kan. this week to compete at the Kansas Relays.
