Over the weekend, the Northern Michigan track and field team traveled down to Rochester, MI where they competed in the Elaine Leigh Invite. The invite was a two-day meet starting Friday, April 19 and ending Saturday, April 20. 

Overall, the ‘Cats did not earn a team score for this meet, however, there were multiple first, second, and third place finishes for the team in their individual and relay events on both days of the invite. 

On the first day of competition, junior Crystal Walker placed first in the long jump to then earn first place over the weekend with a jump of 5.71m. Staying on the field side, two Wildcats took second and third place in the pole vault. With second place was junior Leah Root with a vault of 3.40m. Third place was awarded to sophomore Emily Czeiszperger with a vault of 3.10m. 

Moving to the racetrack, on day one of the invite the Wildcats took command of the track. Starting with sophomore Madi Szymanski placed first in the 5000m race with a time of 17:11.83. In the 10,000m race sophomore Claire Waligorski placed second with her time of 41:14.35. Finally, the last Wildcat to place on the first day was Gianna Hoving. Hoving raced in the 1500m race earning first place with her time of 4:41.11. 

Coming off the first day of the competition it was time for the Wildcats to compete on the second and final day. On the second day of the invite, two ‘Cats took home first and third place in the 100m hurdles. The first was awarded to junior Ellyse Wolfrath with her time of 14.54. Third place in the 100m hurdles was freshman Sofi Diop with her race time of 14:89. 

Gianna Hoving ran on the second day in the 800m race placing second with her time of 2:17.86. 

Sophomore Emma Sweeney placed third in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:52.38. 

First place in the 4×400 went to a Wildcat team with a team time of 4:01.11. The relay team consisted of Beverly Harper, Ciara Ostrenga, Emme Burrough, and Natalie Pisoke. The 4×100 relay team placed third with a time of 50.87. The relay team consisted again of both Emme Burrough and Natalie Pisoke, as well as Ahna Larson and Sydney Romps. 

Junior Ahna Larson also took home third place in the 400m hurdles with her time of 1:05.57. 

Freshman Baux Truckey placed first in the 400m race with her final time of 58.53. 

Finally on the field side of day two, Leah Root placed third in the triple jump with a distance of 10.75m. 

This weekend the team will travel to Wisconsin where they will compete in the final race of the season. The team will compete in the St. Norbert College invitational in De Pere, Wisconsin. 

This is the final race of the regular season for the team. 

Next week after the St. Norbert College invitational, the team will compete in the GLIAC outdoor championships from May 1 through May 3. After the championships, the team will compete in their last chance meet in Illinois before the NCAA outdoor Championships.