DES MOINES, Iowa - The Ashford University women's track and field team capped off an impressive outdoor season today on day two of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Outdoor Championships, placing fifth overall, highlighted by the performances of freshman standout Nkemdilim Okwumabua of Rockford, Ill.

Okwumabua, an All-MCC selection during the indoor season, continued to add to her already impressive resume on Friday, earning dual victories in the 400 and 800-meter runs.

With a new school record time of 1:00.14, Okwumabua won her heat and stood alone at the top in the 400 meter dash. Later on in the meet, Okwumabua trailed for 1 and ¾ laps before passing Obsie Birru of Grand View in the final 200 meters to secure the victory with at time of 2:20.57.

Sophomore Laura Minertz of Sterling, Ill., had an impressive ending to the season as well, placing fourth in both the 100 (12.70) and 200-meter (26.54) dashes, seventh in the 400 (1:02.84), and helped both relays to impressive finishes.

The 4x100 meter relay consisting of Minertz, Okwumabua, freshman Sarah Wenzel of Clinton, and senior Kim Fabry of Oconto Falls, Wis., crossed the line in second place with a new school record time of 50.71.

The same quartet returned to the track for the 4x400 meter relay, where they broke yet another school record and placed fifth with a time of 4:20.95.

Earlier in the meet, Fabry, Wenzel, and sophomore Natalie Solms of Kissimmee, Fla., competed in the triple jump. After successful preliminary jump, all three Saints advanced to the finals in the event. Fabry's preliminary jump of 9.85 meters (32'3") carried over into the finals and was good for ninth place overall while Solms matched her prelim jump of 10.11 meters (33'2") and took home fifth place honors.

It was Wenzel, however, that made the biggest jump, improving from her prelim mark on 9.93 meters (32'7") to a finals jump of 10.41 meters (34'2") and moved herself into third place for the event.

Fabry also ran in the 400-meter dash, where she placed 14th with a time of 1:05.52.

Finishing with a time of 5:50.83, freshman Ashley Murray of Mason City, Iowa placed 12th in the 1500 meter run and placed 20th in the 800 meter run after a time of 2:51.16.

Freshman thrower Ashley Voeltz of Fulton, Ill., advanced to finals in the shot put after a preliminary throw of 11.38 meters (37'4"). In the finals, Voeltz improved her throw after a toss of 11.84 meters (38'10") and earned fifth place overall.

Wenzel and freshman thrower Dawn Caffery of Indianapolis, Ind., competed in the shot put as well. With a toss of 10.26 meters (33'8"), Caffery placed ninth overall while Wenzel's throw of 9.90 meters (32'5") placed 14th.

Earlier in the day, Voeltz and Caffery competed in the hammer throw as well. Caffery had a best throw of 35.15 meters (115'4") while Voeltz launced the hammer 32.20 meters (105'8").

With a final score of 67.5 points, the Saints placed fifth overall.