22004 CCIW WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

CARTHAGE WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP

KENOSHA, Wisconsin – Powered by sprinter Muffy Israel and hurdler Sheana Grigsby, the Carthage Lady Reds won the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin indoor track & field championship for the fourth consecutive year. Head coach Steve Ray’s team scored 167 points to win the meet, which was held on Saturday, February 28 at the Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center on the Carthage College campus. Illinois Wesleyan, which matched Carthage with four champions, placed second with 141 points. Augustana, which crowned three champs, was third with 97 points while North Central, which won one event, finished fourth with 84.5. Wheaton, winners of two relays, finished fifth with 65 and North Park, which won three individual events, placed sixth with 52.5 points. Millikin was seventh (34) and Elmhurst (17) took eighth.

Israel won the 55 meter dash for the third straight year with a time of :07.12 and Grigsby set a new conference record in winning the 55 hurdles. Grigsby was clocked in :08.22, breaking the old record of :08.30 held by Keya Willis of Carthage in 2002. Carthage also got championship performances from Tiffany Farrier in the weight throw with a toss of 45’ 4 ¼" and the 800 relay, which sped to victory in a time of 1:44.48.

Besides Grigsby’s record setting performance in the hurdles a pair of other conference records fell in the meet. Megan Rossi of North Central won the pole vault with a clearance of 11’ 8", eclipsing the old mark of 11’ 7" by Amy Peters of Elmhurst from 2003. Jodi Stanton of Augustana took first in the shot put with a toss of 41’ 7", breaking the existing record of 41’ 6" set by Maribeth Hulina of Carthage in 2001.

Gianina Taylor of Illinois Wesleyan was a triple winner as she took first in the 200 (:25.46) and 400 (:56.67) individually and anchored the Titans winning 1600 relay that clocked 3:58.61. Jennifer Paul of Augustana won both the 800 (2:22.40) and 1500 (4:47.54) and Lucia Abel of North Park claimed titles in both the long (17’ 11 ½") and triple (38’ 0 ¾") jumps. Wheaton’s Jesi Christiansen anchored both the 3200 (9:51.23) and distance medley (12:38.03) teams to victory although she was the only Thunder athlete who ran on both teams.