Four runner-up finishes highlight final day of IIAC Championships
INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson track and field team had four, runner-up finishes on the final day of the 2015 Iowa Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Buxton Stadium.
The men's team finished sixth of eight teams while the women took eighth, just three points out of sixth.
Freshman Dylan Kalinay placed second in the 100-meter dash and 110-meter hurdles, Isaac Frazier added a second-place effort in the triple jump and Bayley Fleshner came in second in the 100 hurdles for the Storm, who finished the weekend with seven all-conference performances.
"It was fun to watch our kids compete at their best," head coach Dave Cleveland said. "It was definitely our best meet of the year, by far. I'm pleased with everyone's effort."
Kalinay came within half-a-step of a conference championship in the 100 meters, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind champion Kyle Ward of Loras with a 10.85. He ran 15.05 to take second in the 100 hurdles and added an eighth-place effort in the 200 (22.47).
After breaking through with an all-conference performance and a second-place finish in the high jump on Friday, Frazier added all-IIAC accolades in the triple jump, breaking the sand at 44-feet, 10 3/4 inches for second overall.
A senior, Fleshner garnered her third all-conference performance in the 100 hurdles, placing second in 14.61. She posted the top qualifying time Friday and was closing on eventual champion Elizabeth Brandenburg (Loras) before clipping the ninth hurdle.
"I think she deserved better than that, but that's part of hurdling," Cleveland said. "She's had a tremendous career and I think that was the best hurdle race of her career, but hurdlers hit hurdles once in a while."
Fleshner – who hopes to make a second straight appearance at Division III Nationals – is ranked 17th in the nation after running 14.53 in the prelims.
Aside from the runner-up finishes, Simpson got a big, third-place finish from Mitch Stoltzman in the pole vault. The sophomore cleared a lifetime best of 14-5 1/4 on his second attempt before bowing out at 14-11.
Lauren Martin and Triston Twedt just missed all-conference recognition, taking fourth in the 100 meters and 400 hurdles, respectively.
Up Next
Select Simpson athletes will compete at last-chance meets on Thursday and Friday. The Wis.-LaCrosse NCAA Qualifier takes place Thursday, May 14 and the North Central (Ill.) NCAA Qualifier is on Friday.
Women's Top Performers
100 – 4. Lauren Martin, 12.66; 8. Sarah Ney, 12.84
200 – 6. Sarah Ney, 25.78
100 hurdles – 2. Bayley Fleshner, 14.61
4x100 – 4. Fleshner/Martin/Galbraith/Ney, 48.77
4x400 – 7. Galbraith/Ney/Martin/Gronke, 4:04.81
Pole vault – 7. Audrey LoVan, 9-8
Men's Top Performers
100 – 2. Dylan Kalinay, 10.85
200 – 8. Dylan Kalinay, 22.47
100 hurdles – 2. Dylan Kalinay, 15.05
400 hurdles – 4. Triston Twedt, 55.76; 8. Trevor McKee, 57.18
3,000 steeplechase – 7. Nick Yaeger, 9:53.88
4x100 – 5. Jergens/Kalinay/Tufte/Twedt, 42.87
4x400 – 6. Sheeder/Twedt/Moody/McKee, 3:22.20
Pole vault – 3. Mitch Stoltzman, 14-5 1/4
Triple jump – 2. Isaac Frazier, 44-10 3/4