SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Yellowjacket women's track and field team was back in action for the first time in nearly a month Saturday, competing in the Hamline Invitational, hosted by Hamline University.
After competing in Virginia Beach over spring break, the Yellowjackets were supposed to be back in action last week at Saint John's, only to have the event wiped out by the biggest winter storm of the 2023-24 winter season. Instead, things got pushed back a week, setting the stage for the Yellowjackets to get back in action against a strong field.
Freshman
Simone Stephens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) had a strong race in the 1,500 meters, placing eighth with a time of 5:00.18. The time established a new personal record for Stephens.
Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool), who joined the team for the outdoor season after finishing her season with the women's basketball team, cracked the top ten in the 200-meter dash. Claude narrowly missed establishing a new personal record, coming across the line with a time of 27.97 seconds. The mark was good enough for 10th place.
In the field events, Aylie Dahl earned a seventh-place finish in the long jump, coming in with a mark of 4.66 meters.
Thrower
Sidney Bader (Milltown, Wis./Unity) placed sixth in the javelin throw, reaching a mark of 29.50 meters. In the shot put,
Emma Johnson (Centuria, Wis./Unity) placed seventh with a heave of 10.77 meters.
Meet Notes
- The 4-x-400-meter relay team placed fourth with a time of 52.17 seconds. The team was made up of Allison Alessi (Shakopee, Minn./Prior Lake), Cora Schmitz (Luck, Wis./Unity), Summer Hesseldahl (International Falls, Minn./Falls) and Alexxa DeQuevedo (Silver Bay, Minn./William Kelley).
- Johnson didn't set a personal record in the shot put, but she did in two other throwing events. Her marks of 34.27 meters in the discus and 38.13 meters in the hammer throw established new personal bests.
- In the 5,000 meters, Halle Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) didn't crack the top ten, placing 13th, but she did set a new personal record. Barker finished with a time of 18:36.91.
- Myla Volk (Wabeno, Wis./Wabeno) had three finishes in the top 20 in the jumps, placing 14th in the high jump, 18th in the long jump and 11th in the triple jump.
- In addition to a personal record in the long jump, Dahl also earned PRs in the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
- DeQuevedo finished just outside the top 10 in the 100-meter hurdles, coming in with a time of 16.90 seconds to place 11th.
- Allison Alessi (Shakopee, Minn./Prior Lake) placed in the top 20 in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
Next up for the Yellowjackets is the Saint Mary's Invitational in Winona, Minn. Saturday, April 13.
