MARION, Ind. – Indiana Wesleyan University won the 2019 Crossroads League Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship on Saturday in Marion. IWU cruised to the win with 218.5 points to beat second place Taylor (Ind.) by 45.5 points.

The league championship is the 11th for the women’s program and all have come since 1999. The last win for the Wildcats was in 2016.

The Wildcats claimed five Crossroads League championships and was led by Alex McFarland with league titles in the 100-Meter and 200-Meter races. Carly Wilkins (400 Hurdles), the 4x800 Relay, and Paige Sutter (Shot Put) also won individual titles in the meet. In addition to the five league titles, Indiana Wesleyan earned 14 more All-Crossroads League performances with top-three finishes.

Crossroads League Champions

Day 2 on Saturday

Alex McFarland swept the 100-Meter and 200-Meter races for a pair of league championships. McFarland won the 100-Meters in 12.16 seconds and followed with a win the in 200-Meters with a time of 25.13 seconds.

Carly Wilkins was first place in the 400-Meter Hurdles with a time of 1:04.42. Her time is an NAIA B standard.
 

Day 1 on Friday

The 4x800-Meter Relay won in a time of 9:12.98. The relay team of Kendra Frieden, Jill Van Dyk, Erica Stutsman, and Jessica Sprinkles earned an NAIA A standard.

Paige Sutter won the Shot Put with a throw of 13.42-meters/44-0.5 feet. The winning throw is an NAIA B standard.

All-Crossroads League Performances (Top-3 Finish)

Day 2 on Saturday

The 4x100-Meter Relay place second with a time of 49.20 seconds. The relay team consisted of Arianna Kleppinger, Cae’sarae Wright, Annamarie McKenzie, and Alex McFarland.

Arianna Kleppinger finished second behind McFarland in both the 100-Meter and 200-Meter sprints. Kleppinger ran a 100-Meter time of 12.35 seconds and a time of 25.60 seconds in the 200-Meters.

Erica Stutsman was second in the 1,500-Meters with a time of 4:45.28.

Jessica Sprinkles was runner-up in the 800-Meters as she ran a 2:13.74. Her time is an NAIA A standard.

The 4x800-Meter Relay claimed third place in a time of 4:03.05. The relay consisted of Cae’sarae Wright, Holly Schoon, Annamarie McKenzie, and Jessica Sprinkles.

Lorna Bechtel had a mark of 35.87-meters/117-8 feet in the Javelin for a third place finish.

Gloria Dean earned second place in the Hammer Throw with a mark of 48.12-meters/157-10 feet.

Day 1 on Friday

Abby Karnes finished third place in the Pole Vault with a height of 3.35-meters/10-11.75 feet.

Natalie Cotherman and Paige Sutter placed second and third in the Discus. Cotherman was runner-up with a throw of 41.36-meters/135-8 feet while Sutter took third with a mark of 40.27-meters/132-1 feet.

Lorna Bechtel took third place in the High Jump with a height of 1.59-meters/5-2.5 feet.

Mikayla Baillie and Gloria Dean earned All-League recognition in the Shot Put with second and third place finishes. Baillie was second with a mark of 12.81-meters/42-0.5 inches and Dean finished third at 12.35-meters/40-6.25 feet. IWU captured the top-four places in the Shot Put event.

COACH SNYDER SAYS…

“The women knew what they had to do and it clicked. We knew this was possible and they definitely showed up this weekend. The thing we did not expect was going first through fourth place in shot put. Picking up 29 points in that one event was huge for us.”