Two new provisional marks for Chargers at home Last Chance Invite

It’s a busy time of year for the Hillsdale College women’s track and field team, as athletes look to make a final mark that will qualify them for the NCAA DII Outdoor Championship meet at the end of May. 

Hillsdale kicked off Last Chance week on Wednesday with its own home invitational, and two athletes put down new or improved provisional marks to help their chances.

Junior Tara Townsend cleared a new personal best of 4.12 meters to take second in the pole vault, bested only by professional vaulter and past NCAA DII national champion Kristen Leland. Townsend’s new top mark moves her into eighth nationally at the NCAA DII level and further cements her spot at what would be her second straight Outdoor Championship appearance. Teammate Katie Clifford tied for seventh with a jump of 3.57 meters.

Hillsdale’s other new provisional mark came on the track, as senior Reese Dragovich ran a personal best time of 55.48 to take fourth in the 400m dash, setting a provisional mark in the event for the first time and ranking 67th in NCAA DII. Teammate Josee Behling was right behind in sixth in a solid time of 55.97 as well.

Along with the two provisional marks, junior Averi Parker had a strong meet for Hillsdale in the throws, taking third in the discus with a mark of 43.06 meters, and placing second in the hammer throw with a mark of 55.28 meters, just ahead of teammate Katie Sayles who took third in 53.37 meters.

Hillsdale had three placers in the high jump, as Baelyn Zitzmann took fourth with a clearance of 1.63 meters, just edging out teammate Reagan Dahlquist who also cleared 1.63 meters and placed sixth on jumps. Aubrie Wilson finished seventh with a clearance of 1.58 meters as well for the Chargers.

Also in the jumps, freshman Katie Kennedy set a new personal best in the long jump with a mark of 5.37 meters to place seventh, and also set a new best mark in the triple jump, with a distance of 11.18 meters to earn a sixth place finish. Teammate Grace Chen took seventh in the triple jump as well with a mark of 11.11 meters.

On the track, Nicole Marshall ran a new personal best in the 800m run to place sixth in 2:12.32, Lucy Minning took fourth in the 100m dash with a time of 11.78, and Gianna Lodice took seventh in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:08.02.

The home meet might be over but the week is just beginning for the Chargers, who will be active through Sunday trying to get athletes qualified for the NCAA DII National Meet. Hillsdale has athletes competing at the University of Michigan on Friday, in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, and at Grand Valley State on Sunday trying to get marks and times that will ensure their spot at the national championships.

Photo by Tiffany Treppa