McKenzie Defends Triple Jump Title as Spartans Take Third at IIAC Championships
Feb 28, 2015
WAVERLY, Iowa – Senior Nikki McKenzie won the triple jump for the second straight year with a leap of 36'2.75” and earned fifth place in the long jump amidst a plethora of runner-up performances by the University of Dubuque women’s track team. UD’s performances helped push the Spartans to a third-place finish at the Iowa Conference Indoor Championships (hosted by Wartburg).
The Spartans used three school records to garner third-place for the second consecutive year, but set a school record after racking up 98 points. Wartburg (220) won the team crown while Central (153) placed second.
Sophomore Fabiola Ortiz blazed a 5:07.33 in the mile to break the school record for the second time in the last three weeks. The Elgin, Ill. native crushed her previous best of 5:18.70 and missed out on an IIAC title by less than 1.5 seconds. Ortiz also placed fourth in the 3000m run in a time of 10:42.20 and set another school record in the distance medley relay (12:26.56).
A member of the DMR, senior Rachael Busjahn, cruised to a personal record in the 400m (59.13) and a fourth-place finish. It was the second fastest indoor 400m of her career. The Sobieski, Wis. native also claimed a school record in the 4x400m relay (4:02.62) for the second straight week in a third-place performance. Busjahn also jumped 35’1.75” to earn a fourth-place finish in the triple jump.
Junior Alexis Higgins took second-place in the high jump with a leap of 5’3”. The Cedar Falls, Iowa native improved upon her fifth-place performance a year ago.
Freshman Amanda Sinkler added a pole vault runner up performance with a vault of 11’2.25”, while Amanda Zbilski claimed fourth-place with a 10’2.5” vault.
For the throwers, freshman Tanasha Atwater (41’5.75”) led a 4-5 finish in the shot put with fellow freshman Lauren Egnarski (40’3.5”). Atwater also placed sixth in the weight throw as junior Nicole Forson became UD’s top finisher in third-place with a toss of 50’7.5”. Senior Katelyn Herbig ended up eighth with a 47’5.25”.
A select number of Spartans will travel to the UW-Platteville Last Chance meet (March 6) and/or the UW-Stevens Point Qualifier (March 7) next week in hopes of improving their times and qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Championships in Salem, N.C. on March 13-14.
