The Red Raider track and field team brought home many all-conference honors this past weekend at the GPAC Indoor Championships in Seward, Nebaska From the women, there were seven individuals and two relays finishing with honors. In total, 12 events left Saturday with all-conference honors. On the men’s side, eight individuals and two relays had all-conference finishes.
The men’s team finished fifth place among 11 teams with 55 points, and the women scored 64 points, placing them fourth out of 12 teams. Of those points, 30 were scored by senior Rebekah Muilenburg, who took home first place in the 600m and 800m runs, as well as anchoring the 4×800 relay to first place. Muilenburg edged out first in both her individual events by less than half a second, running 1:38.39 in the 600m and 2:21 in the open 800m.
Juniors Anna Heusinkveld and Katrina Engebretson were also three-event all-conference runners. Heusinkveld took home sixth place in the 60m and 200m and also played a role in the 4×400 team that placed seventh. Engebretson ran on the seventh place 4×400 relay and the 4×800 team that took first. She also took home fourth place in the 800m run with a time of 2:24.
Sophomore Hunter Koepke had herself a long yet successful day, running in both the 3000m and 5000m run. Koepke claimed all-conference honors in both events, finishing fourth in the 3000m and fifth in the 5000m. Her times were 11:09 and 19:18.
On the men’s side, both senior Peter Hollinger and junior Jackson Johnson were all-conference runner-ups in their events. Hollinger took home second in the 800m run with a time of 1:57.5. Johnson jumped 6 feet, 7.5 inches in the high jump for his second place finish.
Hollinger also anchored the 4×800 meter relay which finished in second place. Senior Caleb Benzing, sophomore Josh Van Dusseldorp and freshman Peyton Brasser also had legs in this event, which finished with a time of 8:00.8.
Sophomore Dylan Hendricks claimed all-conference in two events, running 4:30.1 in the mile for fifth place and 15:46 in the 5000m for fourth. In shorter distance news, freshman Justus Adams took third in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.46, and senior Perkins Aiyegbeni took fifth in the 400, running 50.84.
The remaining qualifying Raiders will close their indoor season between Feb. 28 and March 2 at the NAIA Indoor Nationals in Brookings, South Dakota.
