READING, Pa. - The Messiah women's track and field team finished as the runner-up of the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships, claiming 137 team points to champion Eastern University's 144.5.
Kathryn Wiederrecht claimed a first place finish in the 200 Meter (25.73) and a second place finish in both the 60 Meter (7.90) and 60 Meter Hurdles (9.22).
Esther Seeland won the 800 Meter (2:19.09) and Mile (5:07.88) for Messiah while
Ellissa Slader (58.38) and Seeland (1:00.35) claimed second and third respectively in the 400 Meter.
The 4x400 Meter Relay and 4x800 Meter Relay squads took gold for Messiah as well.
Taylor Wiederrecht also won the Pentathlon with a score of 2955.
Kathryn Wiederrecht was named MAC Track Athlete of the Year in a close battle with
Esther Seeland.
Kathryn Wiederrecht set a pair of new program records in the 60 Meter and 200 Meter while also being the the highest
point scorer among track athletes.
On the weekend, Messiah claimed gold in seven events while putting 11 new marks on Messiah's top-10 list, including three new program records. Additionally, a dozen personal bests were turned in at the Championships.
Messiah will wrap-up the indoor regular season next weekend when they travel to the Tufts National Qualifying Meet on Mar. 7.
In the Results
Kathryn Wiederrecht was named the MAC Track Athlete of the Year after turning in a stellar Indoor Championship Meet. Wiederrecht won the 200 Meter with a time of 25.73, just six hundredths of a second ahead of Gina Dello Russo from Stevens (25.79). Wiederrecht also took a pair of runner-up finishes in the 60 Meter and 60 Meter Hurdles in the individual events and was part of the program record team in the 4x200 Meter Relay (1:46.81). Her times in the 60 Meter and 200 Meter were both the fastest in Messiah program history.
Esther Seeland was running stride for stride with Wiederrecht in the Athlete of the Year race, picking up victories in the 800 Meter (2:19.09) and Mile (5:07.88). Seeland also helped Messiah's 4x800 Meter Relay Team to a victory in a time of 9:41.48 and earned a third-place finish in the 400 Meter with a mark of 1:00.35.
Other marks that will find their way onto Messiah's top-10 list includes
Ellie Longshaw (60 Meter - 8.34, sixth), 4x800 Meter Relay (9:41.48, third), Distance Medley Relay (12:28.00, fourth),
Taylor Wiederrecht (Long Jump - 5.37m, fourth),
Lila Goodhile (Shot Put - 11.19m, sixth),
Amanda Brown (Weight Throw - 11.37m, fifth), and
Erin Haines (Weight Throw - 9.89m, eighth).
Messiah shined in the distance events with personal bests coming in bunches in the 5,000 Meters (
Cera Gaston - 18:59.87 and
Joy Galbraith - 19:20.27), 3,000 Meters (Gaston - 11:04.68,
Teddi Powell - 11:08.22, Galbraith - 11:14.66, and Swaisgood - 11:17.90), Mile (
Chloe Wester - 5:26.01,
Emma Fertig - 5:34.07, and
Connor Coggins - 5:36.44), and 800 Meter (
Brieanna Hess - 2:28.79,
Emma Johnsen - 2:29.50, and
Amber Fogelsanger - 2:31.65).
What's Up Next
Next weekend, the Falcons will wrap-up their indoor regular season at the Tufts National Qualifying Meet at Mar. 7. Events will get underway at 12:00 p.m. with a handful of Falcons in attendance.
