< say that the rookie class is having an immediate impact this season is definitely an understatement. The Carleton College women’s track and field team won six events at the Meet of the Hearts this past Saturday, with the first-years accounting for all five of the individual event victories and encompassing half of the Knights’ record-setting distance medley relay unit. Amelia Campbell ‘16 won two of the events, the 55-meter hurdles and the high jump.
Strong all-around performances by Campbell have become a habit over the first month of the season. She ran away with top honors in the 55-meter hurdles at 8.77 seconds and cleared 1.52 meters (4 feet, 11.75 inches) to win the high jump by two inches. She also took second in the long jump and won her flight of the shot put.
A new Recreation Center record was established in the distance medley relay as the Knights posted a time of 12:24.92. First-year Ruth Steinke opened with the 1200-meter leg followed by classmate Reilly Simon for the next 400 meters. Haley Johnson ‘14 took the baton for 800 meters before Colette Celichowski ‘15 anchored with the mile.
“What a fun event,” said Carleton head coach Donna Ricks. “It was fun to run at home. There was lots of energy and a great crowd to cheer on the running Knights. I am very excited how this team is developing.”
While the first-years stole the limelight, the day was designed to highlight the veterans on the squad. “We celebrated all of our seniors since this was their last home indoor competition, and they did an outstanding job,” said Ricks.
In addition to her work in the DMR, Johnson posted a personal best in the 800 meters with a time of 2:17.93. Sarah Trautman ‘13 ran to a second-place finish in the 1000-meter run. Laura Newcombe ‘13 tallied a personal-best in the 3000-meter run, while Jocelyn Friedman ‘13, participating in her first season of track at Carleton, established a PR in the shot put.
While Steinke capped her day with her strong start in the DMR, she had already proved to be a force in the middle distance with a first-place result in the 1000-meter run at 3:02.43. She paced Carleton’s 1-2 finish in the event as she and Trautman pulled away from the field.
Kayla McKinsey ‘16 took fourth in the 55-meter dash, a race that saw less than 0.1 second separate the top five finishers. She came back later to not only win her heat of the 200-meter dash in 27.73 but to post the top time in the field of 18 racers.
Caroline Campbell ‘16 continues to improve and race stronger. As a result, she had the Knights’ other event triumph with a time of 1:45.38 in the 600-meter run.
Celichowski placed third in the 800-meter run, doing so with a new personal-best time of 2:18.75.
Katie Richards ‘15 finished fourth in the pole vault. A week ago she broke the nine-foot barrier. Saturday she cleared 9 feet, 9 inches and had very solid attempts at 10’-2”.
These and other sharp performances resulted in the Knights placing second in the team competition. Luther College took top honors with 168.5 points, followed by Carleton (140), Gustavus (139), and Hamline (118.5).