May 25, 2008

OSHKOSH, WIS. . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) contingent at the 2008 NCAA outdoor track and field National Championships hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh won two national titles and earned 23 All-America honors.

Wartburg's Andy Hodge (1,500-meters) and women's 4x400-meter relay team each won national titles in their respective events. It was the second consecutive national title for the Knights in the 4x400. Luther's Jess Jewell and Wartburg's Jenny Kordick, Kelsey Steffens, and Hannah Baker, and Central's Guy Dierikx each captured All-America honors in two events. Jewell finished fourth in the shot put and eight in the discus throw. In addition to participating in the Knights' championship 4x400-meter relay team, Kordick and Steffens ran on Wartburg's fourth-place 4x100-meter relay, while Baker took second in the 400. Dierikx finished fourth in the 400 and ran on Central's runner-up 4x400-meter relay team.

In the women’s team race, Wartburg finished third with 34 points, just one point behind co-national champions University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Illinois Wesleyan. Luther tied for 44th with six points, Loras tied for 53rd with five points, and Simpson tied for 80th with one point.

In the men’s team race, Wartburg tied for fifth with 25 points, 10 points back of national champion McMurry University. Central tied for 17th with 18 points. Dubuque tied for 25th with 11 points. Loras and Buena Vista tied for 37th with eight points.

IOWA CONFERENCE ALL-AMERICANS (TOP-8 FINISHERS)

Men
• Buena Vista's Shawn Olorundami - 4th in 110-meter hurdles (14.43 seconds)
• Buena Vista's Eric Bertelsen - 6th in long jump (22-10; 6.96 meters)
• Central's Guy Dierikx - 4th in 400-meter dash (47.82 seconds)
• Central's Kurtis Brondyke - 4th in long jump (23-1 3/4; 7.05 meters)
• Central's 4x400-meter relay (Luke Bolander, Guy Dierikx, Alex Miller, Matt Patrick) - 2nd (3:12.75)
• Dubuque's Orlando Walton - 3rd in 100-meter dash (10.72 seconds)
• Dubuque's Anthony Jenkins - 4th in triple jump (48-0 1/2; 14.64 meters)
• Loras's Kyle Calvert - 2nd in pole vault (16-3 1/4; 4.96 meters)
• Wartburg's Andy Hodge - National Champion in 1,500-meter run (3:46.89)
• Wartburg's Kevin Balster - 2nd in 10,000-meter run (30:34.53)
• Wartburg's Jacob Hommer - 8th in 800-meter run (1:52.70)
• Wartburg's Brian Chenoweth - 5th in 5,000-meter run (14:39.01)
• Wartburg's Kevin Balster - 7th in 5,000-meter run (14:41.45)

Women
• Loras' Ellen Thys - 5th in discus throw (152-9; 46.57 meters)
• Loras' Liz Ulferts - 8th in hammer throw (168-11; 51.50 meters)
• Luther's Jess Jewell - 4th in shot put (45-8; 13.92 meters); 8th in discus throw (151-10; 46.29 meters)
• Simpson's Lauren Bucklin - 8th in 100-meter hurdles (14.53 seconds)
• Wartburg's Hannah Baker - 2nd in 400-meter dash (54.40 seconds)
• Wartburg's Jessica Bates - 3rd in hammer throw (180-10; 55.13 meters)
• Wartburg's 4x100-meter relay (Akeye Aimable, Jenny Kordick, KeAnna Martin, Kelsey Steffens) - 4th (46.93 seconds)
• Wartburg's Anna Kraayenbrink - 4th in 5,000-meter run (16:55.80)
• Wartburg's 4x400-meter relay (Jenny Kordick, Kelsey Steffens, Chelsey Jacobs, Hannah Baker) - National Champion (3:45.72)

OTHER IOWA CONFERENCE QUALIFIERS’ PERFORMANCES

Men
• Buena Vista's Eric Bertelsen - 6th in heat of 100-meter dash (10.81 seconds); 9th in 200-meter dash (22.01 seconds)
• Central's Jason Fisher - 6th in flight of hammer throw (170-9; 52.06 meters); 7th in flight of discus throw (156-0; 47.54 meters)
• Cornell's James Klobucar - 11th in decathlon (6,057 points)
• Dubuque's Jean Metezier - 4th in heat of 100-meter dash (10.76 seconds)
• Loras' Chris Buresh - t-15th in high jump (6-4; 1.93 meters)
• Luther's Tyler Sherden - 6th in heat of 400-meter dash (63.56 seconds)
• Wartburg's Damoan Lott - 9th in flight of triple jump (44-0 3/4; 13.43 meters)

Women
• Central's 4x400-meter relay (Kari Hutchinson, Emily Teas, Rachelle Tipton, Jill Ziskovsky) - 3rd in heat (3:52.74)
• Coe's Ashley Schnell - 9th in heat of 1,500-meter run (4:41.46)
• Coe's Holly Rader - 4th in flight of hammer throw (163-9; 49.92 meters)
• Loras' Barb Kremer - 3rd in heat of 100-meter hurdles (14.61 seconds)
• Loras' Danielle McNally - 9th in flight of shot put (41-9 3/4; 12.74 meters); 6th in flight of discus throw (145-2; 44.26 meters)
• Loras' Heidi Tobin - 10th in flight of discus throw (112-4; 34.25 meters)
• Loras' Ellen Thys - 8th in flight of hammer throw (156-8; 47.77 meters)
• Simpson's Chelsey Degen - 9th in flight of discus throw (137-5; 41.90 meters)
• Wartburg's KeAnna Martin - 4th in heat of 100-meter dash (12.33 seconds); 3rd in heat of 200-meter dash (25.01 seconds)
• Wartburg's Jenny Kordick - 6th in heat of 100-meter dash (12.28 seconds)
• Wartburg's Akeye Aimable - 7th in heat of 100-meter dash (12.36 seconds)
• Wartburg's Hannah Baker - 2nd in heat of 200-meter dash (24.96 seconds)
• Wartburg's Chelsey Jacobs - 4th in heat of 400-meter dash (58.08 seconds)
• Wartburg's Amanda Kuiken - 7th in heat of 800-meter dash (2:15.84)
• Wartburg's Jennifer Kuiken - 9th in 1,500-meter run (4:33.77)
• Wartburg's Kelsey Steffens - 5th in heat of 400-meter hurdles (62.98 seconds); 6th in heat of 100-meter hurdles (14.70 seconds)

Complete NCAA Championship results can be found on the Championship web site here.

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