TRACK & FIELD

The Forester track and field program sent athletes to three different meets over the weekend for one last chance at qualifying for the NAIA National Championships scheduled for later this month. Junior Erica Xayarath and sophomore Emily Tedder turned in great performances to punch their ticket to the big stage.

Xayarath, who is already heading to nationals in high jump as the No. 1 seed, hit the B standard in triple jump at Oakland’s Last Chance Meet. Her third-place mark of 11.52 meters is a season PR and ranks her 32nd nationally among her NAIA peers.

Tedder crushed her personal best by nine seconds to win the 1500 meters at North Central’s Carius-Gregory Meet by clocking in at 4:39.05 which proves a provisional mark. It also moves her from tenth to fifth in the HU all-time record books. She sits 25th in the country in this race.

Several other Foresters competed in Naperville including Dylan Felger who won the 400 meter hurdles in 52.31. While it’s an A standard, he had already qualified at the Little State Championships where he ran a season-best 52.06 which is the second fastest time in the NAIA this season.

Other Huntington competitors included Zach Collins in the 400 meters (3rd, 48.98), Mackenzie Brewer in the 800 meters (8th, 2:23.53) and Jonah Lemmon in the 800 meters (20th, 1:58.61).

HU was also represented at St. Francis’ Fighting Chance Qualifier in the men’s 5K. Reece Gibson took second in 15:48.44, Kent Yoder was next in 14:54.51 while Austin Liepe finished 14th in 14:58.35.

NAIA Nationals is being hosted by Indiana Wesleyan on May 24-26.