RESULTS

GRINNELL, Iowa – The Bethel women's track and field team took 2^nd place at the Darren Young Invite at Grinnell College by scoring 101.5 points.

The meet was highlighted by a pair of nationally ranked performances. Freshman Kelsie Sealock got things started for the Royals by racing her way to the front of the field in the 60m hurdles. Sealock won the race in 8.92 – a time that ranks 8^th on the NCAA Division III national honor roll and also sets a new program record. The day was capped – as usual – by the 4x400m relay. Hannah Sankey led off the Bethel team and handed to Delia Labatt in first place. The Royals never looked back. Labatt passed to freshman Mikayla Turek who brought it around to Corin McKinstrey. Bethel's time of 3:57.40 is 10^th in Division III and the top time in the MIAC.

In the sprint events, freshman Jireh Babalola took 6^th place in the 60m dash with a time of 8.18. Sealock came back after her hurdle race to earn 3^rd in the 200m by running 27.21. Babalola took 5^th in 27.59 and Lauren Richards ran a personal best of 27.71 for 6^th. Lauren Conradi and Taylor Finnes contributed points in the 400m. Conradi finished 7^th (1:04.11) and Finnes was 8^th (1:04.54).

The Royals saw a lot of their points come from the distance events. Emily Brockberg ran a 3 second personal best of 2:22.85 for 2^nd place in the 800m run. Anna Hage earned 2^nd place in the 3000m by running her time of 11:02.23. Erika Swanson raced the first indoor 5k of her career and finished 2^nd with a time of 19:14.63. Teammate Ellie Nelson was close behind, finishing 3^rd overall in 19:20.16.

Bethel had relay teams contribute points in the 4x200m and the Distance Medley Relay (DMR). Hannah Nelson, Claire Bode, Lauren Bonin, and Ashley Haxton placed 4^th in the 4x200m relay, running 1:57.56. In the DMR, Meg Thorson (1200m), Malakai Holloway (400m), Talia Egge (800m), and Lydia Crow (1600m) combined to run 13:44.96 and place 5^th.

In her first meet of the indoor season, Grace Perrenoud led the charge for the field events. Perrenoud placed 5^th in the long jump (15'11.5"/4.86m) and 8^th in the triple jump (33'4"/10.16m). The long jump saw three Bethel athletes score points. Along with Perrenoud, Syri Williams placed 7^th (15'8.75"/4.79m) and Ella Eliason took 8^th (15'7.75"/4.77m). Jessica Lilland and Sadie Koelz both cleared 9'10.5"/3.01m in the pole vault. Lilland tied for 5^th place and Koelz took 7^th place. Hannah Nelson tied her personal record in the high jump by clearing 4'9"/1.45m and earned 8^th place.

On Friday evening, several Royals raced at the St. Thomas Showcase. Labatt raced her way to victory as she commanded the 400m from the start. Her winning time of 57.62 ranks 9^th in Division III and is the best time in the MIAC. Teammates Hannah Sankey and Mikayla Turek also ran the 400m. Sankey took 5^th in 59.41 and Turek won her heat in 1:00.50 to earn 6^th.

The Royals continue their season next week with two meets on the schedule. The majority of the team will compete at St. Olaf on Friday, February 21^st and a handful of athletes will run at the University of Minnesota on the same day.