Miller Has Another Record-Setting Day at HCAC Championships

BLUFFTON, OHIO -- The Defiance College women's track and field team finished in seventh place after the final day of competition of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships hosted by Bluffton University.  The Yellow Jackets ended the two-day event with a total of 64 points.

After capturing the conference individual championship in the 3000-meter steeplechase yesterday in record-setting time, junior Eme Miller (Portland, Ind./Jay County) found herself on the podium again today with her second HCAC title.  This time, Miller recorded the top overall time in the 5000-meter run with a time of 17:58.46.  Her time also set a school record in the event, surpassing her previous all-time mark by over 20 seconds (18:20.75).

In addition, Miller competed in the 1500-meter run and placed in the top-five with a fourth-place finish in a time of 4:54.64.  Her time also broke the school record which stood since the 1978 season by Patty Schiwebert (5:00.30).  Sophomore Aaron Textor (Swanton) also competed in the event and placed 20th with a time of 5:28.69.

Textor was the lone DC representative in the 800-meter run and placed 16th out of 23 runners crossing the finish line in a time of 2:39.81.  

Sophomore Laura Lutzke (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) ran in the 100-meter dash and recorded a prelim mark of 14.06 seconds and placed 14th overall, but did not qualify for the finals.  

In field events, sophomore Cassidy Santen (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove North) finished ninth in the javelin throw with a toss of 99' 2.00".  Joining Santen were junior Colby Heeter (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) and sophomore Brooke Waidelich (Pettisville).  Heeter placed 12th with a throw of 95' 4.00" and Waidelich came in 14th following a throw of 88' 5.00".

Junior Alexis Walker (Fort Meyers, Fla./Fort Meyers) claimed third place in the hammer throw with a toss of 138' 6.00" to lead DC in the event.  The Jackets had two others place in the top-10 in sophomore Hannah Williams (Swanton) and senior Nicole Walls (Carleton, Mich./Airport).  Williams finished eighth with a toss of 126' 0.00" and Walls was close behind in 10th place following a best effort of 119' 6.00".  In addition, sophomore Cassidy Santen (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove North) finished 12th with a toss of 116' 4.00".

In the long jump, senior Waverly Weaks (Liberty Center) placed in the top-five by finishing fourth overall with a leap of 15' 3.25".   

The DC men are scheduled to travel to Bloomington, Ind. to compete in the Indiana University meet on Friday, May 6.  The start time for the meet is listed as TBA.