Koerner's All-American Pentathlon Finish Highlights Pride Track and Field's Trip to NAIA Indoor Nationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Closing out their 2024-25 indoor season with four members of the team at the NAIA Indoor National Championships, the Clarke University track and field teams saw their women's team have its first All-American performance since the 2019-20 season this week.
That All-America performance came from sophomore Annemarie Koerner who would finish in seventh place in the pentathlon, producing two team points for the Pride with her 3427 points scored in the competitiion as she would have to overcome a slow start in the five-event competition.
A 9.49 second 60-meter hurdles put Koerner in 13th place out of the 15 competitors, then she would clear 1.53 meters in the high jump to tie for ninth before a 9.76-meter shot put distance for another event ninth place would produce a little boost as she would go on to tie for third in the long jump with a 5.52-meter best jump then running the 800-meter race she needed to run with a 2:26.15 for fourth place to jump from out of All-America status into the top eight.
As previously mentioned, that seventh place finish is the first All-America for the Pride women since Brianna Judkins placed sixth in the triple jump in the 2019-20 season as Koerner becomes the first multi for the CU women to earn All-America status.
Koerner would also compete in the long jump competition separately on Friday where she would end up placing 21st out of the 31 competitors with a 5.46-meter best jump.
Clarke's track and field teams also saw representation at nationals from Grace Squires in the women's pole vault then Daniel Adams and Hasmar Francois in the men's high jump as all three would be unable to clear their opening heights on their three attempts.
The Pride will continue their training, now with the indoor season in the rearview and the 2025 outdoor season soon upon them, their first outdoor meet is set for Saturday, Mar. 29 when they are set to travel to Des Moines, Iowa.