Day 1 of the 2025 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships was a successful one for Ashland University's nationally-ranked women and men – conference records, meet records, individual and relay championships, and two teams in contention for league titles at the end of the day.
Conference championships were earned in four events on Friday (Feb. 28) at the Niss Athletic Center by the No. 9-ranked Ashland women and No. 15-ranked AU men:
- Sophomore Molly Winner in the women's weight throw (20.36 meters/66-feet-9¾), which, not only was an improved provisional mark for the 2025 NCAA Division II Championships, March 13-15 in Indianapolis, Ind., but also was an all-time Great Midwest record, and improves upon her status as the No. 1 women's weight thrower in NCAA Division II.
"It's super exciting, but the end goal isn't there yet," said Winner. "Continue to push on as we head to nationals. We still have more work to do. The next two weeks are going to be a grind."
- Junior Garrett Baker in the men's pole vault, with a Great Midwest Championships-record vault of 5.32 meters/17-feet-5½.
"It feels really good," Baker said. "I've been working really hard, coming for it this year. Placed second at both conferences last year, so kind of had a chip on my shoulder. Really wanted it and made it happen.
"We had all three other vaulters, they all put up points (22 total)."
After Day 1, the Eagle women are in first place with 52 team points, with Walsh second (38) and Hillsdale third (31). On the men's side, AU is second with 61 team points, behind only Findlay (62.5).
SECOND PLACE – Sophomore
Leslie Pollock in the women's weight throw (19.63 meters/64-feet-5), sophomore
Justin Richards in the men's long jump (7.10 meters/23-feet-3½), senior
Brock Janowicz in the men's weight throw (19.97 meters/65-feet-6¾), men's DMR of sophomore
Zach Vales, semior
Ethan Schuster, sophomore
Colton Thress and junior
Nate Slater (9:46.94, improved provo).
Said Pollock, one of the top women's weight throwers in the country all season, along with Winner, "It felt really good. Even though it wasn't a PR, I was still really excited to come out and compete, especially at a home meet. Ashland has energy like no other place. I want to take advantage of that."
THIRD PLACE – Freshman
Carter Smith (tied) in the men's pole vault (4.82 meters/15-feet-9¾), sophomore
Kara Fields in the women's pentathlon (3,539 points, new provo), freshman
Caden McClure (tied) in the men's pole vault (4.82 meters/15-feet-9¾, new provo), sophomore
Matthew Noel in the men's high jump (2.00 meters/6-feet-6¾), fifth-year
Aniya Seward in the women's long jump (5.60 meters/18-feet-4½).
FOURTH PLACE – Junior
Levi Hondred in the men's long jump (6.96 meters/22-feet-10).
FIFTH PLACE – Fifth-year
Chris Graber in the men's long jump (6.95 meters/22-feet-9¾).
SEVENTH PLACE – Freshman
Hunter Long in the men's pole vault (4.32 meters/14-feet-2), freshman
Alaina Heller in the women's long jump (5.41 meters/17-feet-9).
Earning new and improved provo marks in preliminaries on Friday were:
- Senior Mia Gardner in the women's 400 dash prelim (55.28 seconds, improved).
- Senior Noah Wood (47.78 seconds, improved), senior Colin Hunkele (47.97 seconds, improved) and sophomore Brian Turner (48.36 seconds, improved) in the men's 400 dash prelim.
- Fifth-year Doniven Jackson in the men's 60 dash prelim (6.83 seconds, new) and the men's 200 dash prelim (21.36 seconds, improved).
- Rios (7.43 seconds, improved) and graduate Alena Williams (7.47 seconds, improved) in the women's 60 dash prelim – both breaking the school record of 7.50 by Shami Vanhook 10 years ago.
- Sophomore Brianna Chenevey (24.23 seconds, improved), Rios (24.66 seconds, improved), and Williams (24.67 seconds, improved) in the women's 200 dash prelim.
UP NEXT
The second and final day of the 2025 Great Midwest Championships on Saturday (March 1), starting at 9 a.m..
