DUBUQUE, Iowa - With a leap of 5.53 meters (18'1"), Ashford University women's track and field Sarah Wenzel of Clinton broke her own school record and provisionally qualified for the NAIA Women's Outdoor National Championships this weekend at the Spartan Open hosted by the University of Dubuque.

Wenzel is the third Saint to qualify for the national meet, joining freshman Christian ‘Ed' Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., and sophomore A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., from the men's side.

Freshman Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill., dominated the 800-meter run, winning the event seven seconds ahead of the second-place runner with a time of 2:21.70.

In the 400-meter dash, sophomore Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., earned a third place finish after a time of 1:01.63 while senior teammate Kim Fabry of Oconto Falls, Wis., placed 10th after she crossed the line in 1:04.96.

Earlier in the meet, Fabry place third in the long jump with a bound of 5.26 meters (17'3").

After notching third place honors in the high jump with a clearing of 1.50 meters, (4'11") freshman Chhutani Berry of Chicago placed 14th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:12.39.

With a time of 51.73, the women's 4x100-meter relay comprised of Fabry, Okwumabua, Wenzel and Minertz, placed third overall.

Freshman Dawn Caffery of Indianapolis, Ind., led the women's throwers at the meet after earning a fifth-place finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 35.39 meters (116'1").

In the discus throw, freshman Ashley Voeltz of Fulton, Ill., placed eighth after a throw of 26.85 meters (88'1").

The Saints will wrap up the outdoor season this week with the Midwest Collegiate Conference Outdoor Championships hosted by Grand View University in Des Moines. AshfordAthletics.com will travel with the team for full coverage of the meet.