The SPIRE Division I Track & Field Invitational brought fierce competition this weekend, but several Bobcats pounced over it.
With exceptional performances from junior Chanda Cuckler, sophomore Kristin Winkle, senior Melissa Thompson and sophomore Caroline Hildebrand, the Bobcats broke school records and qualified more athletes for the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships in two weeks.
Friday’s events featured much excitement, as Cuckler’s third-place finish of 3,732 points in the pentathlon broke a school record that was set in 1993.
“She was on top of the competition” coach Clay Calkins said. “She met our expectations. They are very high for her and I am glad that the hard work has really paid off.”
Thompson took the momentum from Friday’s competitors and carried it into her one-mile race Saturday.
Calkins said before the meet that he wanted to get Thompson into the four-minute time frame, which she did with a time of 4:53.87, qualifying her for the MAC Indoor Championships.
“She rebounded really well from (Notre Dame last week) and is doing everything right,” Calkins said. “This is the most competition in the one mile in the MAC there has ever been.”
Another pair of runners Calkins was pleased with was sophomore Kayla Scott and Caroline Hildebrand. Scott finished the 5,000-meter race with a time of 17:30.55, giving her an automatic spot in the MAC Championships..”
Winkle’s 20th place time of 8.97 in the preliminary rounds of the 60-meter hurdles also placed her in the pool for the MAC Championships.
Despite the majority of the events occurring indoors, weather played a role in some events.
“In a technical event like the weight throw, the weather can affect the competitors.” Calkins said. “Donyelle Brown did not have a performance like she did earlier in the season, but in no way was it her fault. It just wasn’t her day.”
Calkins continued to say that the competition the Bobcats faced this weekend will be on the same level as the MAC Championships.
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