The track and field team kicked off the new semester by dashing their way to a meet title over the weekend in this year’s Northern Challenge, the one and only meet held in NMU’s Superior Dome for the season.
“I was very happy with how they performed. We had some great results especially for this early in the indoor season,” head coach Jenny Ryan said. “We saw some things we still need to work on but overall, I feel like we are heading in the right direction.”
Seven Wildcats combined to win nine events and totaled 265 points to top Lake Superior State (91) and the Copper County Track Club (88).
Junior Ine Mylle improved her provisional mark in the triple jump to 38-8.25 and also took the long jump (17-5.5) and 55-meter hurdles (8.70).
Despite her strong performance, Mylle said because of the smaller-sized competition she was focusing more on improving her technique rather than placing well. Mylle added that she feels she still has room for improvement technique-wise but was happy with her results regardless.
“I definitely hope to get better in my hurdles, get faster times so I can place in the finals at GLIACS,” Mylle said. “I already had a provisional mark for triple jump so I just hope to get better in that so I get to go to Indoor Nationals.”
Junior Kameron Burmeister not only clutched the victory for NMU in the 5,000-meter run but also broke her own school record and an NCAA provisional mark with the time of 17:29.56.
The other Wildcats who claimed victories were junior Kieren Becker (mile run, 5:16.44), sophomore Paige Dutcher (400-meter run, 1:00.39), sophomore Shayla Huebner (800 meter run, 2:17.47), senior Samanthia Johnson (weight throw, 49-2.25) and freshman Katelyn Smith (3,000-meter run, 11:08.63).
Smith also raced to a runner-up finish in the mile run (5:22.94) while Becker took second in the 3,000-meter run (11:12.78). Senior Avadon James placed second in both the 55-meter run (7.39) and the 200-meter run (26.53).
One reason the Wildcats were able to do well in the Northern Challenge was because of the positive atmosphere generated by the team, Mylle said.
“I think that, as a team, we all are really good together, we hang out outside of practices, we get along really well,” she said.
Mylle added that she feels it helps having teammates cheering each other on in competitions and that the smaller size of the team fortifies their bond.
Although this meet is smaller compared to future competitions, the experience and practice will give the Wildcats confidence in the bigger meets which will benefit in the long run, Ryan said.
“Now we know where we stand and what we can do,” Ryan added. “When you have higher competition, you get pulled along and get to even higher levels. I think we are ready to see what we can do to some of the top people in the conference.”
Northern Michigan next competes at the Doug Hansen Open hosted by Saginaw Valley State at the SVSU Fieldhouse in Saginaw, Michigan on Jan. 27.
