Saint Mary Women's Track & Field Claims KCAC Indoor Championship
OMAHA, Neb. - The University of Saint Mary women's indoor track & field team put on a dominant performance at the KCAC Postseason Championship, securing the team title with a commanding 198.5 points. Evangel finished a distant second with 138.5 points, while Friends placed third with 88 points. The Spires showcased their depth and talent across multiple events, with standout individual performances leading the charge.
Sprint & Hurdles Success
Senior Gretchen Raney was a force to be reckoned with in the sprints, claiming individual titles in both the 60-meter dash (7.62) and the 200-meter dash (25.40). Junior Keiyah Cole added to the team's success with a runner-up finish in the 200-meter dash (26.01). In the 400-meter event, freshman Hope Crabtree took 3rd, clocking 59.20 seconds. Crabtree also secured a podium finish in the 60-meter hurdles, placing second (9.07), while senior Jane DuTeil finished third in the event (9.22).
Middle Distance & Distance Domination
The Spires displayed their strength in the distance events, sweeping the top positions in multiple races. Sophomore Carly Holadia led the way in the middle-distance category, winning both the 800 meters (2:19.45) and 1000 meters (2:59.41). Senior Carlie Gregg was close behind in the 1000 meters, finishing second (3:00.83).
Junior Josie Tyrrell led a strong group in the mile, taking first place (5:08.43), followed by senior Riley Hiebert in second (5:08.47) and sophomore Shannen Dorn in fourth (5:23.61). Hiebert later claimed victory in the 3000 meters (10:27.86), leading a St. Mary sweep with senior Kate Madsen (10:28.04), Tyrrell (10:28.17), and senior Reagan Hiebert (10:29.02) rounding out the top four. The dominance continued in the 5000 meters, as Reagan Hiebert secured first place (17:42.45), with Tyrrell (17:43.48) and Madsen (17:45.20) completing another top-three sweep for the Spires. Dorn finished fifth (18:26.74), adding more valuable points to the team's total.
Relay & Field Contributions
The 4x800 meter relay team delivered another first-place finish, crossing the line in 9:24.80 to further solidify Saint Mary's commanding lead. In the field events, sophomore Jordyn Miller-Knuckles finished fourth in the high jump, clearing 1.52m and then followed with a seventh in the long jump (17" 0.5").
With this dominant performance, the University of Saint Mary women's indoor track & field team clinched the KCAC title and now shifts their focus to the NAIA Indoor National Championships, set to take place in Gainesville, Florida, beginning February 27th. The Spires will look to carry their momentum onto the national stage and continue their stellar season.