McKenzie Leaps to Victory to Open Up Women's Track and Field Outdoor Season
Apr 3, 2015
RESULTS
WAVERLY, Iowa - Senior Nikki McKenzie took home the women's long jump title with a leap of 4.99m/16'4.5" and sophomore Fabiola Ortiz finished runner up in the mile by a slim margin at the Wartburg Outdoor Select meet on Friday afternoon.
The Spartans placed fourth of seven teams after compiling 59 points. UD trailed Wartburg (317.5 points), Grand View (131.5), and Augustana (Ill.) (127) in many of the teams' first outdoor meet of the season.
In her first long jump competition since February 27, McKenzie started off outdoor season on the right foot with the victory. The senior hopes to eventually add a long jump NCAA national berth after qualifying in the triple jump a year ago.
Ortiz continues her vast improvement after setting a big personal record in the 1500m and narrowly gaining runner up honors by less than one second.
Sybbie Sears added a fourth-place showing the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:11.72.
For the throwers, Nicole Forson threw 43.30m/142'1" in the hammer to earn third, Katelyn Herbig finished sixth with a hammer throw of 41.86m/137'4", Allyson Machala tossed the discus 34.70m/113'10" to finish fifth, and Tanasha Atwater placed sixth in the shot put with a toss of 10.69m/35'1".
Both UD men and women fielded limited teams as a result of the season-opening meet.
The Spartans head north to the UW-Platteville meet next Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 a.m.
