GALESBURG, Ill. - The Ashford University women's track and field program traveled to Knox College this weekend for the Knox College Invitational and although no team scores were kept at the smaller meet, the Saints won a total of seven events.

"I told them when we got off the bus that we needed to compete with ourselves," said AU Head Coach Chris Adams. "I thought we did a great job of doing just that, and the performances we had show."

Freshman Sarah Wenzel of Clinton set a new school record in the long jump for the third time this season and won competition with a leap of 5.41 meters (17'9"), nearly a foot ahead of senior Kim Fabry of Oconto Falls, Wis., who placed second with a distance of 5.13 meters (16'10").

After a second place finish in the 110-meter hurdles, sophomore Natalie Solms of Kissimmee, Fla., hopped, skipped, and jumped her way to victory in the triple jump. With a distance of 10.38 meters (34'), she finished nearly two feet ahead of Wenzel, who finished second with a jump of 9.96 meters (32'8").

Sophomore Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., continued to showcase her speed by earning dual victories in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Minertz blew away the competition in the 100-meter dash, crossing the finish line nearly a second earlier than the second place competitor, finishing with a time of 12.77.

Minertz cruised to victory in the 200-meter dash as well, finishing with a time of 26.50, a near second ahead of freshman teammate Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill.

Okwumabua would go on to a dominating performance in the 800-meter run, winning by 17 seconds with a time of 2:23.58.

Fabry was the lone Saint running in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line in third place with a time of 1:04.89.

Freshman Ashley Murray of Mason City finished the 800-meter dash in third place with a time of 2:47.22.

With a time of 51.34, the 4x100 meter relay team comprised of Fabry, Minertz, Okwumbua, and Wenzel collected first place honors.

In the discus throw, freshman Ashley Voeltz of Fulton, Ill., earned a third place finish after a toss of 11.50 meters (37'8"). Freshman Dawn Caffery of Indianapolis, Ind., finished in eighth place after throwing the discus 9.37 meters (30'9").

Voeltz competed in the hammer throw as well, finishing in seventh place after a toss of 36.36 meters (119'3").

The Saints travel to Macomb, Ill., next week for the Lee Calhoun Invitational at Western Illinois University. The multi-event athletes travel to Chicago, Ill., for the Chicagoland Championships as well.