Conference Champions Crowned at Heart Championships
Clarke University's men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up the 2020-2021 season this Saturday at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships, hosted by Grand View University in Des Moines. Both teams finished tenth in the conference, taking two individual conference titles and two all-conference performances.
Shelby Kline (SR/Rockton, Ill.) won the women's 3K Steeplechase, defeating Graceland's Keegan Perkins by nearly five seconds. Her winning time of 11: 05 is a new CU school record and currently ranks her sixth in the NAIA. Roughly 30 minutes later, she went on to take second place in the 1500-meter run with a time of 5:02. Kline also joined Ricar Mends (JR/Moline, Illinois), Marina Mercado (JR), and Sydney Baule (JR/Rochester, MN) on the sixth place 4x800 relay team.
Nick Peterson (SR/Round Lake Beach, Ill.) started the scoring off on the men's side by winning the pole vault, defeating Central Methodist's Hayden Hackman and clearing 4.60 meters (15.09 feet). Both men cleared the height, but Hackman took more attempts to do so, allowing Peterson to take the title. Peterson is an All-American in the event from indoor track in 2020, but this is his first conference championship victory.
James Vandun (SO/Racine, Wis.) placed third in his second-ever decathlon, earning all-conference honors for the first time in his career. His score of 5138 points is a new CU school record, breaking his previous best by over 300 points. Along the way, he achieved Personal Best marks in the 100 Meter Dash, Long Jump, Shot Put, 400 Meter Dash, Discus, Pole Vault, and 1500 Meter Run.
Brady Lasack (SO/Anamosa, IA) set the school record and placed fifth in the 5,000 meter racewalk with a time of 30:27 after coming back from an injury and surgery in early March. This was his first time competing at this event in this distance, but he was tenth in the NAIA in the 3k racewalk this winter. His performance ranks him 20th in the NAIA for this season.
Complete results can be found at https://results.blacksquirreltiming.com/meets/7498
The conference meet wraps up the season for most of The Pride. A select few will compete in a last chance meet this week to try to better their performances and qualify for the NAIA National Championships, May 26-28 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The remainder of the team will have time to rest after a successful season and come back next year ready to compete.
Conference Champions
Shelby Kline- 3k Steeplechase 11:05 (School Record)
Nick Peterson- Pole Vault 4.60 meters (15.09 feet)
Conference Runner Up
Shelby Kline- 1500 meter run (5:02)
All-Conference
James Vandun- Decathlon 5138 points (School Record)
4th place Timothy Miller (SO/Dubuque, IA) - Decathlon 4889 points
5th place Brady Lasack- 5k racewalk 30: 27 (School Record)
6th place Samantha Kane (FR)- Discus 34.51 meters (113.22 feet)
Noah Church (SO/Polk City, IA)- Racewalk 31:28
Ricar Mends, Marina Mercado, Sydney Baule, Shelby Kline- Womens 4x800 10:27
Hanna Meyer (SR/Dubuque, Iowa)- 10k 40:58
7th Place Hanna Meyer- 5k 19:29
8th Place Claire Ronnebaum (JR/North Liberty, Iowa)- Javelin 30.83
Maggie Christianson (SR/Island Lake, Ill.)- Long Jump 5.06 meters (16.6 feet)
Sydney Norman (FR)- Heptathlon 2849 points