AMES, Iowa - The Ashford University women's track and field team enjoyed a banner debut to open the indoor season by breaking a plethora of records at the Iowa State University Holiday Classic on Friday.

Under the direction of assistant coaches Chris Adams and Sheena James, the Saints smashed five records, equaling the mark set by the men's team during the day.

Coming off strong momentum from the spring season that included a pair of runner-up finishes (100, 200-meter dash) at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Outdoor Championships, sophomore Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., began the fall by breaking a pair of short-standing school records.

Minertz is the new owner of the 60-meter dash record, blazing through the preliminaries to finish 15th with a time of 8.12 seconds. She passed LaQuisha Buchanan's 8.30 time set just last year.

Minertz then added another record to her credit in the 300-meter dash, clocking at 42.67.

Freshman jumper Sarah Wenzel of Clinton set a school record in the long jump in her collegiate debut, a distance of 5.17 meters. She qualified for the long jump finals and also competed in back-to-back relay events, one of which was record setting.

Another rookie and also a cross country runner, freshman Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill., broke the 800-meter run mark. She placed fourth out of nine runners and finished with a time of 2:23.54.

Wenzel, Minertz, Okwumabua and freshman Ashley Murray of Mason City, combined to form a record-breaking foursome on the 4x400-meter relay (4:25.36).

Freshman jumper Heather Ketcham of Byron, Ill., cleared 1.53 meters in her first collegiate event, not far from the 1.63-meter school record set by Kelly Tenboer in 2008.

Throwers Brooke Funk of LeClaire and Ashley Voeltz of Fulton, Ill., led the day's festivities off in the first heat of the weight throw.

The Saints will be back in action on Jan. 10 at the Carthage Open in Kenosha, Wis.

New School Records Set at ISU Holiday Classic
60-Meter Dash - Laura Minertz (8.12)
300-Meter Dash - Laura Minertz (42.67)
800-Meter Run - Nkemdilim Okwumabua (2:23.54)
Long Jump - Sarah Wenzel (5.17m)
4x400-Meter Relay - Sarah Wenzel, Laura Minertz, Ashley Murray, Nkemdilim Okwumabua (4:25.36)