Fifteen student-athletes across five sports were recognized by the league office Wednesday. Men's golf led the way for Valpo with four representatives, while baseball, and men's and women's outdoor track and field each boasted three.
Head track and field coach Ryan Moore sat down with Brad Collignon to reflect on Valpo's success at the recent Horizon League Championships, discuss his team's future, and how the University will benefit from the new track.
On Thursday, the Valparaiso men’s and women’s track teams sent a limited squad to compete in the Dr. Keeler Invitational at North Central College. Megan Howdeshell (Bourbon, Ind./Triton Junior-Senior) and Jacob Smutz (West Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) led the group with a pair of fourth-place finishes.
Construction has begun on Valparaiso University’s new track and field facility, as Valpo breaks ground on the eight-lane Warren G. Hoger Track at Brown Field, part of a wholesale reevaluation of the campus’ athletics and recreation facilities as outlined in the Campus Master Plan.
At the final day of the Horizon League Outdoor Championships, Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) led the Crusader women with a fourth-place finish in the high jump. Taylor cleared 5’4 ¼” in the event, missing out on the top-spot by just an inch.
Nicole Zehel (Wixom, Mich./Lutheran Westland) and Sarah Peters (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) led the Crusader women at day two of the Horizon League Outdoor Championships, winning the title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and pole vault, respectively.
At the first day of the Horizon League Outdoor Championships in Youngstown, Ohio, senior Megan Howdeshell (Bourbon, Ind./Triton Junior-Senior) was crowned champion in the discus. Howdeshell’s performance helped to put Valparaiso in second-place after the first day of events.
The Crusader women traveled to Miami (Ohio) University on Saturday to compete in the Redhawk Invitational. In their last meet before the Horizon League Championships. Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) led the Crusaders with a third-place finish in the high jump.
For the second time this season, Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) has been selected as the Horizon League Track & Field Athlete of the Week. Taylor earned the honor by putting in a record-breaking performance in the high jump at the DePaul Invitational over the weekend.
On Saturday, the Crusader women traveled to Chicago, Ill. to compete in the DePaul Relays. The relays featured athletics from DePaul, Northern Illinois, UIC, and Northwestern. Behind a handful of top-five finishes, Valparaiso took third overall with 82 points. Brook Hinstorff and Jazmin Taylor led the Crusaders on the day with first and second place finishes in their respective events.
During a windy second day at the Chicagoland Championships, Elizabeth Bloy ran for a first place finish in the 1,500-meter run, and Sarah Peters vaulted for first place in the pole vault, as the Crusaders finished in sixth-place with 60.50 total points.
Jazmin Taylor led the Crusader women on the first day of the Chicagoland Championships at Lewis University. Taylor set a new program record in the high jump, clearing a height of 5’5”, breaking her own school-record of 5’4 ¼”. Taylor’s record-breaking height was good for first in the event.
Seven Valparaiso student-athletes earned spots on the Horizon League Winter Academic All-League teams, as announced by the league office this afternoon.
On Saturday, the Crusader women saw action at the DePauw Invitational in Greencastle Ind. Valparaiso collected multiple top ten finishes on the day, with Nicole Zehel leading the way with a second-place finish in the steeplechase.
On Friday, several members from both the men’s and women’s Valparaiso track & field teams competed in the 30th Annual Stanford Invitational in Stanford, Calif. With entries from over 100 colleges, the meet will see roughly 3,000 athletes competing over the two day span. On day one, Jazmin Taylor and Jeremy Getz each captured top ten finishes for the Crusaders.
In a last minute schedule change, the Crusaders sent a select group of athletes from both the men’s and women’s track & field teams to the North Park Invitational in Chicago, Ill. on Saturday.
The Crusader men’s and women’s track & field team were scheduled to compete at the Purdue Invitational over the weekend. That meet has been canceled, however, due to unfavorable weather conditions. Valparaiso will instead send a select group of athletes to North Park University.
A trio of Crusaders collected Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Honors on Tuesday. Jacob Frey and Jazmin Taylor were selected as Field Athletes of the week, while Elizabeth Bloy was named Runner of the Week.
Elizabeth Bloy and Jazmin Taylor led the Crusader women on Saturday at the Puma Invitational in Rensselaer, Ind. Bloy broke the tape twice, while Taylor set a new school record in the high jump.
Men's swimming senior Tate Wegehaupt (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) and women's track and field junior Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) have been named the Valparaiso athletic department's Athletes of the Month for the month of February.
On the final day of the Horizon League Indoor Championships, Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park), Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island), and Elizabeth Bloy (Freedom, Wis./Freedom) each captured second-place finishes in their respective events to lead the Crusaders to a fifth-place finish.
In record breaking fashion, Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) finished first in the weight throw to lead the Valparaiso women’s track & field team at day one of the Horizon League Indoor Championships.
Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) and Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) each impressed at the GVSU Tune-Up on Friday. Drozdowski placed first in the weight throw, while Taylor finished second in the high jump.
Valparaiso junior Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) has been named Horizon League Athlete of the Week for her record-breaking performance this past weekend at the Fred Wilt Invitational hosted by Purdue University.
The Crusader women recorded one first-place finish and seven top-ten finishes at the 2014 Fred Wilt Invitational at Purdue University on Saturday. Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) took first in the high jump, breaking the program record in the process.
Men's basketball senior Lavonte Dority (Chicago, Ill./Foreman [USF]) and women's track and field senior Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) have been named the Valparaiso athletic department's Athletes of the Month for the month of January.
Valparaiso senior Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) has been named the Horizon League Indoor Field Athlete of the Week for her record-breaking performances this past weekend at both the Meyo and Windy City Invitationals.
The Crusader women saw action in two meets over the weekend. On Saturday, the Crusaders traveled to the University of Chicago to take part in the Windy City Invitational. In addition to the action on Saturday, Sarah Drozdowski, Sarah Peters, and Elizabeth Bloy also competed at the Meyo Invitational, which was held on Friday at the University of Notre Dame.
Valparaiso track & field head coach Ryan Moore announced earlier this week that an additional meet would be added to the Crusaders Spring schedule.
After a two-week layoff, the Crusader women returned to action on Saturday at the Mastodon Invitational. As a team, the Crusaders finished the day with multiple top-ten finishes and two first-place finishes. Elizabeth Bloy and Sarah Drozdowski each took first in their respective events; Bloy in the 1-mile run and Drozdowski in the shot put.
Both the men’s and women’s track & field team were forced to miss the IPFW duals due to inclement travel conditions. Rather than travel in unsafe conditions, both teams stayed in Valparaiso. The meet continued as scheduled.
On Friday, the women’s track & field team took a 9th place finish at the GVSU Invitational. Eighteen teams and over 800 total athletes competed at the invitational. Sarah Peters and Sarah Drozdowski led the way for the Crusaders with third and fourth place finishes in the pole vault and weight throw.
Senior Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) has been named Horizon League Field Athlete of the Week for her impressive performance this past Saturday at the Hillsdale Winter Opener.
After a long holiday break, the Crusader women’s track & field team returned to competition Saturday, traveling to Hillsdale, Mich. to take part in the Hillsdale Winter Opener. The Crusaders finished the event with five second place finishes and a handful of top ten finishes.
The Valparaiso women’s track and field team kicked off the 2013-2014 indoor season on Saturday at the Mastodon Opener in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Valparaiso Track & Field head coach Ryan Moore has announced that current assistant coach James Overbo has been promoted to the program’s associate head coach position. Overbo has spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s track & field teams.
Earlier this week, Valparaiso track & field head coach Ryan Moore announced the Crusaders’ schedule for the upcoming 2013-2014 season.
Valparaiso Track & Field head coach Ryan Moore has announced three new additions to his coaching staff. Patrick Heckroth, Dillion McBride, and Ross Bunchek join the Valparaiso Track & Field program as assistant coaches for the 2013-14 season. The trio solidifies an already talented staff consisting of James Overbo and Mike Straubel.