Storm take second at Cornell, Degen automatically qualifies

MOUNT VERNON - The Simpson women's track and field team placed second of 11 teams at the Cornell Invitational on Saturday, watching three athletes take home medalist honors.

Meet-champion Grand View scored 144.5 points, followed by Simpson with 106. Iowa placed third with 98.

"We had a great team effort today and took advantage of the weather to get some good work in," head coach Dave Cleveland said. "We had a lot of kids trying new events and it was great to see them have fun and succeed at the same time."

Chelsey Degen won the discus throw, Lauren Anderson won the 100-meter hurdles and Molly Sabers won the triple jump.

Degen's toss of 150-9 automatically qualifies her for the NCAA Championships and ranks first NCAA Division III.

Anderson won the 100 hurdles in 15.57, adding a second-place effort in the 400 hurdles (63.34) and the pole vault (9-6 1/4). Her performance in the 400 hurdles marked a career-best, while the pole vault performance tied a personal best.

Sabers took the triple jump crown with a leap of 34-7.

Kinsey Bak provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the high jump, clearing 5-5 3/4 while placing second. Her effort ranks sixth in Division III. She added a second-place finish in the triple jump (33-3).

Anderson and Sabers joined April Sigmund and Nicole Mulder to place second in the 4x400-meter relay.