Ellingson, Bak take top finishes at UNI

CEDAR FALLS - Catie Ellingson won the 1,000-meter run and Kinsey Bak tied for first in the high jump, highlighting Simpson's performance at the UNI Invite on Friday.

There were no team scores recorded at the meet, which is the final tune-up before the Iowa Conference Championships this weekend in Pella.

Ellingson ran away from the pack in the 1,000, finishing in 2:55.88. The next closest competitor was nearly 10 seconds behind. Bak didn't have her best performance of the season, but cleared 5-1 on the high jump to put herself in a five-way tie for first.

Shelby King and Annie Hills placed fifth in the 600 (1:48.20) and 1,000 (3:17.51) meters, respectively. Jayde Boyle finished two spots behind Hills, taking seventh (3:21.81).

Lauren Anderson had a busy day, tying a career-best while placing seventh in the pole vault (8-6 1/4) and placing eighth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.43), 12th in the 60-meter dash (8.37) and 13th in the 200 (27.72).

Other top-ten finishers included Brandi Schindel in the 600 (7th, 1:55.83), April Sigmund in the 400 (8th, 1:01.57), Erin Guzman in the mile (10th, 5:56.61), Maddy Besack in the shot put (10th, 38-0 3/4) and the weight throw (9th, 32-11 1/4) and Tamara Weltch in the weight throw (31-2).

The Iowa Conference Championships will take place at Central's H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse on Feb. 25-26. The multi-event competition is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Friday while the field events are slated for 4 p.m. with the running events at 6 p.m. The two-day meet will conclude Saturday.