LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY TRACK AND FIELD PAGE
There was some more movement on the nationals list for Ashland University's men's and women's indoor track and field teams on Friday (Jan. 25).
The No. 1-ranked Eagle men and No. 8-ranked Eagle women combined for a new automatic and three improved provisional marks for 2019 NCAA Division II indoor nationals (March 8-9 at Pittsburg State, Kan.) on Day 1 of the Penn Nationals and Findlay Alumni Classic.
At Penn State, senior Natalie Helenthal won the women's weight throw, besting several NCAA Division I competitors and earning a new automatic mark of 19.88 meters/65-feet-2¾. Another senior, Mackenzie Leigh, placed eighth and improved upon her previous provisional distance to 17.82 meters/58-feet-5¾.
The men's weight throw saw sophomore Brent Fairbanks finish second (21.51 meters/70-feet-7) and junior Alex Hill third (20.68 meters/67-feet-10¼), but the improved provo was turned in by junior Nick Zak, who placed fourth at 20.47 meters/67-feet-2.
At Findlay, Eagle women's high jumpers took the top three places. Junior Ellie Jindra won the event with an improved provo mark of 1.72 meters/5-feet-7¾, junior Paula Wollenslegel took second (1.63 meters/5-feet-4¼), and sophomore Miyuki Sugiyama was third (1.58 meters/5-feet-2¼).
Freshman Storm Elsesser won the men's high jump at 1.93 meters/6-feet-4, while Wollenslegel (3,013 points) and freshman Allie Holmes (2,871 points) ended 2-3 in the women's pentathlon.
Day 2 of both the Penn Nationals and Findlay Alumni Classic will be Saturday (Jan. 26).
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