CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Ashford University men's and women's track and field team broke three school records over the weekend at the UNI-Dome Open to close out the indoor regular season.
The Saints will now prepare to send out their qualifiers to the NAIA National Championships in Johnson City, Tenn., on March 4-6.
"We thought it was important to let our athletes finish out the indoor season with a chance to go to nationals," AU Head Coach Chris Adams said. "We're proud of the way we performed at the conference meet and look to carry that momentum through to the outdoor season."
Sophomore sprinter Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., broke her own indoor 200-meter dash record for the third time this year. The reigning indoor Midwest Collegiate Conference 200 champion clocked in at 26.41, beating her own personal-best mark set at the conference meet (26.51).
Minertz also finished third out of 12 individuals in the 60-meter dash finals in 8.10 seconds, qualifying through the preliminaries (Read Q&A with Minertz here).
Freshman Sarah Wenzel of Clinton snapped her own long jump school record, leaping a distance of 5.25 meters. She took third in the event and was also the MCC indoor champion.
The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Ademola Are of Hazel Crest, Ill., Austin Gilbert of Peoria, Ill., Christian Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., and Andrew Drinkall of Hooppole, Ill., finished third in 3:28.69, also a new school record.
Drinkall finished third in the 600-meter run (1:23.89).
NAIA automatic qualifiers A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., and Awah also competed in their specialty events.
Smith cleared 1.95 meters in high jump and Awah placed third in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.43 seconds.
Another national qualifier, freshman Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill., took third in 400-meter dash (1:01.07) and 600-meter run, respectively. Freshman provisional qualifier Heather Ketcham of Byron, Ill., soared over 1.55 meters to tie for fifth in high jump.
Sophomore triple jumper Natalie Solms of Kissimmee, Fla., was runner-up at 10.89 meters.
