Wildcats end GLIAC championships with program-best finish
ASHLAND — Northern Michigan University Women’s Track & Field finished the 2018 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships Friday afternoon with 11 All-GLIAC honors, two conference champions, and a third-place finish as a team.
NMU head coach Jenny Ryan was named the 2018 GLIAC Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year after guiding her team to 104.5 points. The Wildcats’ third-place finish is the highest the team has placed during the outdoor conference meet in program history.
Senior Ine Mylle (Zonnebeke, Belgium) became a GLIAC Champion for the fourth time in her career after clearing 40 feet, 6.75 inches in the triple jump. She defeated the field by nearly two feet to capture her fourth GLIAC title in the event. Mylle joins senior Kameron Burmeister (Menominee, Michigan) as 2018 outdoor conference champions after she took the individual crown in the 5,000-meter run on Thursday.
Three Wildcats earned second-team honors on Friday highlighted by junior Paige Dutcher (Williamston, Michigan) placing second in the 400-meter dash. Dutcher moved into second in school history with a time of 56.42 seconds. Freshman Annicka McDonald (Windsor, Connecticut) also competed in the finals, placing fifth.
Junior Shayla Huebner (Marquette, Michigan) also earned second-team honors after her runner-up performance in the 800-meters. She finished the race in 2:15.19 to secure the all-conference honor. Senior Kieren Becker (Fowler, Michigan) also competed in the event, finishing seventh.
NMU’s 4×400-meter relay team earned the third second-team All-GLIAC award Friday with a runner-up finish. The team of sophomore Sydney McPeters (Sugarland, Texas), junior Lynsey Collins (Escanaba, Michigan), Dutcher, and Huebner finished the relay with a time of 3:53.23. The same group earned second-team honors during the indoor campaign also.
Three Wildcats earned third-team honors during the final day of the meet. Becker competed in the first individual event on Friday, finishing the 1,500-meter run in 4:41.80. The award gave Becker three All-GLIAC honors for her track & field career.
Earning her first career outdoor all-conference award, junior Michelle Juergen (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) finished third in the high jump. Juergen cleared a season-best 5’04.50″ to finished tied for third-place. Earning her first career All-GLIAC honor, freshman Nina Augsten (Koenigsbronn, Germany) placed third in the 100-meter hurdles with strong winds during the race.
Other top finishes in the final events on Friday were 4×100-meter relay team finishing fourth, junior Jenna Long (Suamico, Wisconsin) finishing fifth in the 200-meter dash and seventh in the 100-meter dash, sophomore Katelyn Smith (Gaylord, Michigan) finishing sixth in the 5,000-meter run, and freshman Megan Evilsizer (Clinton Township, Michigan) placing 18th in the hammer throw.
The last meet of the year for the Wildcats will be the Hillsdale Last Chance Meet at Hillsdale College May 10-12. It will be the final opportunity for the team to improve their national standings before the NCAA II Outdoor Championships. The national meet will be May 24-26 in Charlotte, North Carolina.