CLINTON, Iowa - After having unparalleled team successes already this season, the Ashford University men's and women's track and field programs will head to Des Moines today to compete in the Midwest Collegiate Conference Outdoor Championships hosted by Grand View University.
"From what we've seen so far, we've got a very good chance at competing at the same level that we did during the indoor meet," said AU Head Coach Chris Adams. "Our goal is to continue to close the gap on the teams that are ahead of us and if we do things our way, both programs have a really good chance of placing high."
Action gets underway today at 2 p.m. with a variety of field events, including men's discus and jump, and javelin, pole vault and high jump on the women's side.
After placing third at the MCC Indoor Championships in March on the men's side, the Saints will not only try to repeat that high finish, but will look to have an even higher finish after the two-day conference meet.
The Saints hold three top times coming into the conference meet, including freshman Christian "Ed" Awah of Willow Springs, Ill., in both the 110 and 400-meter hurdles and sophomore A.J. Smith of Port Byron, Ill., in the high jump. Both athletes have qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships later this month in their respective events.
The Saints will also go into Williams Stadium with multiple top-ten rankings in the midst of a deep field in every event, including sophomore Austin Gilbert of Peoria, Ill., in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes, junior Andrew Drinkall of Hooppole, Ill., in the 400.
For the women, freshman Sarah Wenzel of Clinton comes into the conference meet on a hot streak, as she qualified for the women's national meet in the long jump last weekend with a leap of 5.53 meters, a mark that puts her on top of the conference as well.
Sophomore Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., freshman Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill., and senior Kim Fabry of Oconto Falls, Wis., will join Wenzel on the Saints' relay teams, and will look to improve their times in each of their individual events as well.
Okwumabua, an All-MCC performer at the Indoor Championships last March, comes into today's events with the top time in the 800-meter dash.
Daily recaps from the MCC Outdoor Championships will be available on AshfordAthletics.com following the completion of each day's events.
