Ashland University track and field looks to Nationals
The Eagles, who hosted the GMAC championships, now look to the biggest stage
March 1, 2023
The Ashland University track and field teams look to build off of their success at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championships that were held in Ashland, Ohio.
The Eagles had numerous individual and team performances that were recognized with awards, but the men’s and women’s teams ultimately were unable to pull off a first-place finish.
Men’s Track and Field
The Eagles had multiple top-three finishes in field events, with some taking first place in the conference.
In field events, fifth-year jumper Storm Elsesser jumped 2.08 meters/6-feet-9¾ in the high jump, which was a personal record and a national provisional mark that will send him to the NCAA Divison II Nationals. Elsesser was also awarded the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Meet award. In the long jump, sophomore Caden Morris placed third with a jump of 7.27 meters/23-feet-10¼.
In the running events, junior Wyatt Cory secured a first-place spot in the men’s heptathlon that will send him to nationals. Both the men’s and women’s 4×400 meter dash teams placed first too. The men’s team, consisting of freshman Derrick Amapps, sophomore Colin Roberts, junior Jacob Pielech and sophomore Noah Wood, recorded a time of 3:13.75 as they upset the favorited Findlay Oilers.
The Eagles saw two second-place finishes, in the 60 hurdles senior Cameron Shifflet placed and in the men’s 400 Pielech placed. In third, the Eagles had sophomore DJ Duncan place in the 60 hurdles and Wood place in the men’s 400.
In total, the Eagles will be sending three men to the Division II nationals. Those are junior T.J. Skinner, sophomore Brock Janowicz and Elsesser.
Women’s Track and Field
On the women’s side of things, the field events had a massive first-place finish for fifth-year thrower Carrol Pauley. She recorded a throw of 9.14 meters/62-feet-10, which was her longest of the day. Outside of Pauley, the Eagles also had junior Kaylin Martin who placed third in the women’s long jump with a jump of 5.58 meters/18-feet-3¾. Junior Emma Liberatore placed second in the women’s high jump with a jump of 1.68 meters/5-feet-6 and sophomore Sarah Masuoka recorded a women’s pole vaulting height of 3.95 meters/12-feet-11½.
Sophomore Kelsey Kinsley also placed second for the Eagles, but in the women’s shot put with a throw of 14.17 meters/46-feet-6.
On the track side of things, one of the most notable and big performances came from fifth-year Cheyanne Davis who set a new school record while punching her ticket to nationals. Davis recorded a time of 54.71 seconds in the 400-meter dash, which was 00.02 seconds faster than the previous school record.
The women’s 4×400 meter dash consisting of Davis, senior Macy Creamer, freshman Jade Avance and sophomore Mia Gardner recorded a time of 3:45.48, good for first place.
Placing in third, the Eagles saw Gardner in the 400-meter with a time of 55.98 seconds.
The women will see seven individuals head to the Division II nationals. Those are Davis, Creamer, Avance and Gardner in the 4×400 and Masouka, Kinsley and Pauley in their respective events.
When and where is the Division II Nationals occurring?
Nationals will occur in Virginia Beach, Va. on March 10 and 11. Times for the respective events, provided by goashlandeagles.com, can be found below.
