Home / Sports / Women’s track and field finishes in top 20 at nationals

Women’s track and field finishes in top 20 at nationals

The Pitt State women’s track and field team placed in a tie for 19th place overall at the NCAA Division-II Outdoor Championships from Thursday, May 27 through Saturday, May 29 at this year’s host school Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich.  

Azusa Pacific University won the championship with 81 points. Grand Valley State followed closely with 77 points. West Texas A&M claimed third with 49 points.  

“The team did amazing,” said Haven Lander, graduate student in human resource development. “I thought everyone competed the best that they possibly could, and it was really fun to watch.”  

Trace Mosby, who graduated in the spring with a management degree and will return in the fall to work on her master’s degree, said that some members of the women’s team hadn’t performed as well as they wanted to.  

“I think a lot of us were a little disappointed in our performances at nationals..,” Mosby said. “But there were still a lot of people that made their first appearances at nationals so it was good to get them there and feel the experience and hopefully they know what they can work on going into next year and have bigger goals for nationals and motivation to do a little better next year for nationals.”  

Lander placed eighth in the pole vault, which she was happy to end her track and field career with.  

“It felt really good to place (in the) top eight one last time,” Lander said. “Nationals was my last meet of my career and I told myself that no matter what I was going to leave happy and proud, and I did just that.”  

With 5,152 points, Mosby earned sixth place in the heptathlon.  

“…Going into it, I was already struggling a little bit with a minor injury, but I was proud of myself for finishing day one, obviously high jump kind of hurt me a little bit,” Mosby said. “Then the next day, long jump was okay and the javelin is really what I knew kind of threw me out of the top three finish. So, I wasn’t obviously too happy about sixth but I was just blessed that I still made it on the podium… So, sixth place still felt good. It was still nice to take home a trophy but it’s definitely motivating for next year so I’m still very happy about it.”  

Throughout the three-day competition, London Futch finished as the national runner-up in the 400 meters, Asia Anderson placed ninth overall in the long jump, and the 4×400 meter relay of Madison Burt, Futch, Mosby, and Emerson Tice placed 10th.  

“It always goes by so quickly (the outdoor season),” Mosby said. “But I think my favorite moments.., surprisingly, have been all travelling, the bus rides with the teammates, and hearing everyone talk about competition and other people they’re competing against and goals…”  

Check Also

Gorillas return home against Riverhawks  

Curtis Meyer reporter  With a win at Nebraska Kearney last week, the Gorillas look to …

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: