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Ashland University junior and Marion Local graduate Molly Winner was the NCAA Division II national runner-up in the hammer throw during the national outdoor track and field championships last weekend in Emporia, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Dusty Sloan/Ashland University Athletic Communications
The Grand Lake area was well-represented in Emporia, Kansas, last weekend at the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships.
For Ashland junior Molly Winner, the weekend resulted in further building her accolades.
The Marion Local graduate opened her meet last Thursday in the hammer throw. On her third qualifying throw, she threw for 60.88 meters (199 feet, 9 inches), easily putting her in first place heading into the final round of three attempts. Winner stayed in the lead until Nebraska-Kearney's Lily Novacek threw 64.41 meters (211-4) on her final throw to win the title as Winner finished second.
On Saturday, Winner added a seventh-place finish in the shot put with a top effort of 15.24 meters (50-0) to earn her seventh All-American finish between indoor and outdoor competition.
Another local shined Saturday as Hillsdale's Amelia Lutz looked to add an All-American finish in the outdoor shot to go with her fourth-place showing in the indoor shot. The sophomore from Celina, who had fouled on all three of her qualifying attempts on Thursday in the hammer throw, came up with her best throw of the meet in her final attempt, hitting 15.85 meters (52-0) to earn third place and another All-American honor.
Another Celina graduate, Ashland freshman Jon Lutz easily reached the finals of the 110-meter hurdles on Saturday. Jon Lutz, who won the national title in the 60 hurdles in the indoor national meet, finished seventh to reach the podium with a time of 14.06 seconds, just 0.54 seconds behind national champion Rinaldo Moore of Minnesota State.
Findlay sophomore Charlie Schmiesing (Minster) competed in the discus at nationals. His best effort of 50.71 meters (166-4) was not enough to reach the top nine to secure a spot in the finals, finishing 15th overall.
Embry-Riddle junior Taylor Roth (Minster) competed in the 800. Roth finished sixth in her heat with a time of 2:08.85, finishing 15th and unable to reach the finals.
Cleary (Michigan) senior Samantha Hoelscher (Marion Local) wrapped up her career at the NAIA National Championships in Gainesville, Florida.
Hoelscher finished 25th overall in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 1:03.17.
Iowa freshman Izzy Zahn (Coldwater) will compete in the West Region First Round meet starting today at the University of Arkansas.
Zahn will run in the fifth heat of the 400 dash, making the meet with a time of 53.05 seconds. Zahn is also among the eligible members to run in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
The top three finishers in each heat and next six best times advance to the quarterfinals, then the top three quarterfinal finishers and three remaining fastest times will advance to the national meet in Eugene, Oregon.
