UNI Women Post Three Records During Day One At MVC Championships

UNI Women Post Three Records During Day One At MVC Championships

2/27/2016 10:28:00 PM | Track and Field

Day 1 Results | Day 2 Heat Sheets

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa track and field team wrapped up the first day of competition at the 2016 MVC Indoor Championships today, claiming three school records to put the women in second place overall.

Paige Knodle opened up day one with a win in the women's pentathlon, posting a career-best point total of 4,138 for a new UNI record and MVC meet record. Rachel Peth also turned in a scoring performance in the pentathlon with a seventh place finish with Lauren Frederick coming in ninth with a personal-best of 3,542.

Along with her school record in the pentathlon, Knodle also tied the school record in the 60 meter hurdles, running a time of 8.35 to tie Olimpia Nowak (8.35 in 2012). She also turned in personal-bests in the high jump (5-6.50) and the shot put (34-11.00) on the way to her multi title.

Staying in the field events, Jamie Lindstrom grabbed UNI's third record of the day, earning her first all-conference finish in the weight throw. She placed second overall after throwing a huge PR of 65-4.75, beating the old UNI record of 64-10.75 held by Rachel Jansen (2008).

On the men's side, the Panthers had three scorers in the weight throw, with Brad Walski (6^th), Evan Colfack (7^th) and Isaac Holtz (8^th) all adding to team points. Walski picked up a mark of 60-7.75, while Colfack came away with a personal-best of 60-3.75 with Holtz rounding out at 57-5.50.

Knodle continued to score points for the Panther women, also coming away with an all-conference finish in the women's open long jump. She finished with a leap of 19-3.25, the second-best long jump mark of her career, placing third overall in the competition.

Weston Riesselman scored for the men in long jump, finishing with a mark of 22-11.25 for eighth place overall. UNI finished up its field scoring with a sixth place finish in the men's pole vault by Charles Fenner, recording a career-best mark of 16-1.25.

On the track, Brandon Carnes got things started by qualifying for the men's 60 and 200 meter finals with the fastest preliminary times today of 6.71 and 21.41, respectively. True freshman Corey Hertz will join Carnes in his first MVC final in the men's 200, qualifying with a PR time of 21.96.

Maddie Beeler will represent the Panther women in the 400 meter finals, notching the fastest time in the preliminary race of 56.23. UNI will have two men in the finals as well, with Brett McCalla winning his heat (49.30) and Hertz qualifying for his second final of the day with a time of 49.35.

Between the men and the women, UNI will have five athletes in the finals of the 800 meters. Brette Correy finished with the fastest time of the day today with a 2:12.85 to put her in the finals tomorrow, followed by Amber Clock (2:14.12) and Ashley Norem (2:14.23). Luke Johnston and Jordan Pingel will both see their first MVC finals race tomorrow for the men, finishing with qualifying times of 1:53.40 and 1:53.44.
After her big first day, Knodle will look to the 60 hurdle finals tomorrow with her qualifying time of 8.46 in the open race today. For the men, Jon Rus and Daurice Fountain will both compete in the hurdle finals. Rus finished with a personal-best time of 8.00, tying for fourth all-time at UNI. Fountain will also take on the finals tomorrow after his preliminary time of 8.14.

UNI finished the day with scoring performances in the men's and women's distance medley relays with both teams finishing fourth overall. Clock, Maddie Bell, Theresa Connelly and Correy finished with a team time of 11:57.46 for the women while Andrew Arndt, Evan Long, Colynn Black and Bailey Wetherell grabbed a time of 10:04.33.

The Panthers will return to action tomorrow with the second and final day of competition at the MVC Indoor Championships. Action will resume at 9:30 a.m. with the completion of the heptathlon, followed by field events at 11:30 a.m. and track events at 1:25 p.m.