Saturday, January 30, 2010

A trio of distance runners posted top-ten finishes for the Valparaiso women’s track and field squad as it competed Friday and Saturday at the Findlay Classic in Findlay, Ohio.

Alyssa Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) posted the best individual finish by a Crusader, finishing in third place out of 25 runners in the 800m run with a time of 2:21.30.  Sara Christensen (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) and Whitney Bowman (Portage, Ind./Portage [Purdue]) posted ninth-place finishes in the 3,000m run and 5,000m run with times of 11:12.01 and 19:28.56, respectively.

Haley Kerlin (Rensselaer, Ind./Rensselaer) finished in 11th place in both the 3,000m run and 5,000m run, posting a time of 11:18.48 in the 3K and 19:45.69 in the 5K.  Bowman added a 15th-place showing in the 3K, crossing the line in 11:24.49.

Ini Umana (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) registered the fourth-best toss in Valpo history in the weight throw, registering a mark of 46’8 ¼” for a 13th-place finish.  Gianna Mirabelli (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) placed 14th in the pole vault, clearing 10’2”.

Valparaiso takes next weekend off before taking part in the Chicagoland Championships in Romeoville, Ill. on Friday, February 12.