GV's Hull and HC's Dirksen Chosen As GLIAC Women's Indoor Track and Field "Athletes of the Week," Respectively

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BAY CITY, Mich. - Grand Valley State University sophomore Jade Hull (Grandville, Mich.) and Hillsdale College sophomore Kathy Dirksen (Maria Stein, Ohio/Marion Local) were named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) women's indoor track and field "Athletes of the Week," respectively.

GLIAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week:
Jade Hull - Grand Valley State
Sophomore, Hurdles
Grandville, Mich.

Sophomore Jade Hull (Grandville, Mich.) took home a first place finish in the 60-meter hurdles this past Friday (Feb. 19) at the Grand Rapids Championships. Her time of 8.80 seconds beat her previous NCAA provisional mark and ranks her third in the GLIAC.

GLIAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week:
Kathy Dirksen - Hillsdale
Sophomore, Throws
Maria Stein, Ohio/Marion Local

Hillsdale College’s Kathy Dirksen set a new career-best in the weight throw last weekend at the Grand Rapids Open with a toss of 18.37 meters. That mark ranks her second in the conference and NCAA DII, and is an NCAA automatic qualifying mark.

The 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held this Friday and Saturday, February 26 and 27, on the campus of Grand Valley State University. Click here for more information.

-----GLIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Weekly Notes-----

Ashland Eagles

The AU women’s team competed at the Kent State Tune-up this past Saturday (Feb. 20). Lisa Roth finished first in the 300 hurdles (45.21). In the 300 meters, Teresa Trucco led the field in 43.07. Abby Kacsandi, the national leader among Division II athletes in the high jump, claimed the gold medal with a leap of 1.73 meters. Another first place finish was carded by the 4X4 relay which finished in 3:52.58. In the weight throw, Tara Cooper was first (18.31m) and Kelly Ash was third (17.58m). Ash was also third in the shot put (13.9m). Steph Tinney was the runnerup in the 200 meters. Her time was 25.51. Only Tiffany Tedesco of Slippery Rock (25.39) bettered that time. In the 60 meter hurdles, Karissa Dalessandro was second in 8.83. Kent State’s Ava Haynes won the race in 8.78.

Ferris State Bulldogs

The Ferris State University women’s track and field team took part in its final tuneup for the GLIAC Indoor Championships by competing in the annual Jack Skoog Open hosted by Central Michigan University on Friday (Feb. 19) Freshman Shelby Janutol won the women’s 600 meters (1:43.38) in leading the FSU women’s team. Freshman teammate Alyssa Osika placed second (1:45.41) in the same event.In the women’s mile run, the Bulldogs had three of the top five finishers and four of the top seven overall as Osika came in second (5:08.86), Janutol was fourth (5:21.01), Sarah Creed wound up fifth (5:31.45) and Paige Onweller placed seventh (5:37.15). Ferris’ Jade Kaufman was second in both the 200 meters (27.51) and the 400 meters (1:01.80). Emily Cross finished third in the high jump (5-1) along with fourth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.06) and Jessica Schewe wound up tied for fourth place in the pole vault (9-6.25).

Findlay Oilers

The Oilers recently wrapped up the Kent State Tune-Up and were led by Lindsey Schmitmeyer who was second in the 800-meter run with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:14.44 and also teamed with Stephanie Charnigo, Christine Zimmermann an dJhazmyn Anderson to take the silver in the 4x400-meter relay after crossing the finish line in 3:52.77, another NCAA provisional qualifying mark. Randi Depp added a fourth place finish in the weight throw with a provisional qualifying toss of 56’07.25.

Grand Valley State Lakers

Grand Valley State had six first-place finishes at the GR Championships on Friday (Feb. 19), in the Laker Turf Building. Jocelyn Kuksa (Palatine, Ill.) cleared a height of 12’9.50", good for first place. GVSU took the next two spots with Christi Kettelhut (Rockford, Mich.) in second and Emily McKerchie (Scottville, Mich.) in third. Maegen Doyen (Manistee, Mich.) took home first in the high jump with a jump of 5’5" and Jennifer Fuller placed second (5’3"). In the shot put, Sam Lockhart (Lansing, Mich.) beat her previous provisional mark with a throw of 45’5.25", good for third. In the running events, Eileen Creutz (Saline, Mich.) crossed the finish line second in the mile with a time of 5:06.66. Lauren Bergstrom (Rochester, Minn.) took home first in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:14.80, while Ashley Botham (Grand Rapids, Mich.) hit the provisional mark for the first time this year placing third. In the 60-meter hurdles, Jade Hull (Grandville, Mich.) beat her previous provisional mark with a time of 8.80 seconds, good for first place. Danielle Fonseca (Barrie, Ont.) also beat her previous mark in the hurdles with a time of 8.86 seconds, good for third.

Hillsdale Chargers

Hillsdale participated in the Grand Rapids Open this past weekend. Freshman Cathryn Humphries swiped a pair of first places, in the 60 (7.75 seconds) and 200 meter dashes, finishing the latter race in 25.14 seconds. Hillsdale swept the top five places in the 200. Kathy Dirksen earned an NCAA automatic-qualifying mark in the weight throw with a distance of 18.37 meters. Erin Brunko was the best mile runner at the meet, winning that race in 5:05.64. The 4x400 relay team of Jazmin Williams, Erin Benjamin, Kayla Caldwell and Marta Schiewe also took first, with a time of 3:54.40.Other notable performances were turned in by Clara Leutheuser (second in the high jump), and Nicole Yancho (second in the long jump).

Lake Superior State Lakers

LSSU senior Jill Walton (Kingsley, Mich.) finished second in the women’s shot put (12.28 meters) and bettered her school record in the weight throw (15.1 meters), where she finished sixth during the Jack Skoog Open hosted Friday by Central Michigan University. Freshman Amber Fater (Brownstown, Mich.) set a school 60-meter hurdles record with a time of :09.57 and also placed sixth. Other top finishers for the Laker women were sophomore Katie Winiarski (Brighton, Mich.), who was second in the high jump (1.60 meters), and senior Amanda Pieczynski (Posen, Mich.), who was third in the 60-meter dash (:08.27). Freshman Sarah Gallagher (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.), freshman Jenelle Spires (Mancelona, Mich.), sophomore Arin Baril (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) and Walton were third in the women’s 4x400-meter relay (4:31.79).

Northern Michigan Wildcats

The ‘Cats were idle this week and compete next at the GLIAC Championships.

Northwood Timberwolves

Northwood competed at the Jack Skoog Open. Kristin Cameron (Algonic, Mich.) toss of 53-2.25 in the weight throw placed her fourth overall in the event. Cameron also took home first place in the shot put with a toss of 42-11. Other women's highlights included a 1-2 finish in the 60 thanks to Rachel Hettinger (Owosso, Mich.) and Cammelle Ward (Champaign, Ill.). They ran times of 8.07 and 8.20, respectively. Ward then took home the win in the 200 (27.13), while Hettinger finished third (27.54). Amanda Watson (Clay, Ohio/Oregon) finishing third in the long jump (16-3.75)

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals

The Cardinals traveled to Central Michigan University Friday (Feb. 19) to compete in the Jack Skoog Open. Sophomore Elizabeth Willford earned a first place finish in the pole vault with a height of 3.35 meters and a fourth place finish in the long jump with a distance of 4.80 meters. first in the high jump was junior Tiffany Norton, who leaped a height of 1.65 meters. Freshman Chelsea Henderson took third in the shot put with a new personal best of 12.15 meters. Earning third place finishes in the 400-meter dash and the mile were sophomores Sarah Kawiecki and Ashley Meyer. Ending the meet for the Cardinals was the 4x400-meter relay team, consisting of junior Alanah Pietryga and sophomores Sarah Kawiecki, Ashley Meyer and Angela Brooks, which finished first with a time of 4:17.67.

Tiffin Dragons

Numerous school records fell at the Kent State Tune-up. Megan Gill tied a school record in the high jump, taking 2nd with a jump of 5-6. Kirsten Siegfried was 6th in the 300 hurdles and Carly Reese was 12th in the 3000 meter. At Lake Erie College’s Mid Week track invitational Cara Roach had a solid day, winning the weight throw event with a throw of 46-3.25 and taking third in the shot put. Megan Gill also won her event in the high jump, clearing 5-2.25. Brittany Meek was 2nd in the triple jump (31-0).