Monday, February 26, 2007

The Valparaiso women's track and field team earned a program-record eight All Mid-Continent Conference honors following a record-setting performance at the Mid-Con Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The eight honorees surpass the previous Crusader best of seven, set at the 2006 indoor championship meet. Valpo registered 85 points this year, also breaking the record of 81 set at last year's meet.

Laura Rolf (Rochester, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) led the Crusaders with two podium finishes at the championship meet, including a championship record-setting performance in the 3,000m run. Rolf broke the tape in the event with a time of 9:38.06, shattering the previous championship record, held by former Crusader All-American Collette Liss, by over 17 seconds. Rolf followed that performance with a second-place finish in the mile run, crossing the line in 4:55.95.

Danielle Nunnelly (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) earned indoor all-conference honors for the second straight season. The senior ran to a second-place finish in the 800m run with a time of 2:16.29. Emilie Marsicek (Spalding, Mich./Carney-Nadeau) received indoor All Mid-Con accolades for the second time in her career as well with a runner-up finish in the shot put, registering a toss of 41'10".

Five other Crusaders earned all-conference honors for the first time in their careers. Freshman Lakisha Lane (Topeka, Kan./Highland Park) finished in second place in the 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 9.02. Lane's time was the second-fastest in school history in the event. Valpo's distance medley relay squad of Jennifer Plaskota (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), Windy Santa Cruz (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek), Lindsey Gilman (South Bend, Ind./Marian) and Alyssa Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) received Mid-Con honors as well for coming home third with a time of 13:13.54.