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Anderson, IN — With the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships less than two weeks away, the Goshen College women’s squad used its final intercollegiate meet to generate further momentum, setting four new school records at Saturday’s Fred Wilt Invite at Anderson University.
Senior Petrana Petkova led the way in the re-writing of the program’s record books, adding her name to another pair of events: Petkova won both the 1,000-meter run and the mile run Saturday, setting new marks of 3:01.64 in the 1,000 and 5:03.19 in the mile. Those times replaced clips of 3:05.46 (Laura Harnish, earlier this season) and 5:11.50 (Heidi Saunders, 2001).
As a team, Goshen placed fifth at the 10-team event, a remarkable feat considering the Leafs took just five athletes for competition.
“We took a partial squad to Anderson because we just started our spring break this weekend,” said Rick Clark, Goshen head coach. “Even with a limited team involved, we had a number of very significant performances.”
Petkova’s efforts highlighted an array of stellar performances, as both her school-record marks were good enough for automatic qualification into the NAIA National Championships. Petkova, who has now qualified for five national championship events this season, will only participate in the 5,000-meter run — her forte — during the weekend of Mar. 8-10.
“We, as a staff, and Petrana feel it’s best that she focus her attention on the 5,000-meters (in the national championship meet),” Clark said. “She enters that event with the second-fastest time nationally.”
Clark will be taking a program-record nine women athletes to the NAIA National Championships, as sophomore Deanna Kronk secured her spot Saturday at Anderson. Kronk took a second-place finish in the weight throw, slinging the object a distance of 47 feet, 9 and ½ inches, replacing her old school record of 45 feet, 3 inches set earlier this season.
Kronk also took a third-place finish in the shot put, heaving a distance of 38 feet, 9 and ½ inches.
Sophomore Rachel Versluis set the fourth program mark of the day at Anderson, replacing her own record in the pole vault at 10 feet, 6 inches, good for a fourth-place effort. Versluis’ old record was 10 feet even, set last year.
Senior Laura Herr rounded off Saturday’s performances, finishing second in the 5,000-meter run in a time of 18:32.13.
“Laura Herr dropped another significant amount of time off of her personal best in the 5,000 which she had previously qualified for indoor nationals in,” Clark said. “She is running her best at the right time of the year.”
Goshen will now take nine athletes — competing in seven events — at the NAIA National Championships on Mar. 8-10. Petkova and Herr will both run in the 5,000, sophomore Laura Harnish in the 1,000, sophomore Abri Houser in the pentathlon and the 60-meter hurdles, freshman Tina Peters in the 3,000 race walk and Kronk in the weight throw. Harnish will team up with Versluis and freshmen Racheal Baker and Whitney Turner in the distance medley relay event.
“It’s exciting to be taking the most athletes to the national championships in a few weeks,” Clark said. “These athletes have worked extremely hard, and will continue to train up until we head out for Tennessee.”
For a complete list of individual and team results from Saturday’s Fred Wilt Invite, click here. For comprehensive schedules, coverage and information about the NAIA National Championships event — including event seedings and rosters — click here.
The aforementioned nine athletes will next head to the national championships on Tuesday, Mar. 9. Competition begins Thursday evening in both the pentathlon and distance medley relay. The national championships conclude Saturday afternoon.
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Senior Petrana Petkova 