Women’s Track and Field Take Home Gold at CCIW Championship
The Elmhurst University Women’s Outdoor Track and Field team won their first CCIW conference title at North Central College on May 3.
EU came into the weekend as the favorites to win, getting eight first-place votes according to the Pre-Championships Coaches poll. North Central had won the previous five championships, dating back to 2019. The Cardinals were the only other team to receive a first-place vote in the Pre-Championships Coaches poll.
The Bluejays proved everyone right by scoring 161.5 points; the second-place team, North Central, scored 145 points. The Bluejays got first place in six out of the twenty-one events. While also taking home second place in three of the twenty-one events.
The 4×100 meter relay team put on an absolute show. Tiana Grady, Lauren Marshall, Alyssa Busker, and Hannah Schwarz ran a blazing time of 45.62 seconds. Not only did that time secure first place in the event, it also claimed the school and CCIW records as well as the second fastest in Division Three history.
EU controlled the 100-meter hurdles as the Bluejays had the first, second, and third place finishes. Tiana Grady got first place with a time of 14.32 seconds, moving her to second in EU history. Nakala Nadeau and Brooke Greaves got second and third place, respectively.
Alyssa Busker got first place in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Running a time of 11.85 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a new school record time of 23.62 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Her efforts earned her to be named the CCIW Women’s Track Student-Athlete of the Meet. She was also named the Division III National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, her second time receiving that honor.
In pole vault, Kate Weber got second place with a clearance of 3.48 meters, which is second all-time for EU. In long jump, the Bluejays got first and second place while also setting the longest jump and the second longest jump in school history. Paulina Tinajero jumped 5.84 meters to win the event, and Chloe Selmer jumped 5.70 meters to get second place.
Freshman Greaves won the high jump, clearing 1.58 meters, the third highest in school history. She was named the Women’s First-Year Field Student-Athlete of the Meet.
EU’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams were both named CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year. This is the third time the indoor team has received this honor, and the first for the indoor team.
Molly Roberts and Esther Brown were selected for the CCIW Elite 26 award. The CCIW Elite 26 award is given to athletes who are at least in the second year of competition and are a first-team all-conference recipient while also having the highest GPA.