[Track & Field] Mustangs win four events, Kane becomes double qualifier

Jacqueline Kane qualified for nationals in the 400 meter dash at Saturday's Cornell Quadrangular at the Small Multi-Sport Center.

"The meet was a nice step forward for the team," said Mount Mercy Head Coach Jamie Jimison. "I was proud of the improvements that we made. We had two athletes hit NAIA qualifying marks, we set three school records, and we had four event winners."

Kane was one of four Mustangs to come away with an event title, winning the 400 meter dash with a school record time of :59.89. That also met the NAIA's "B" qualifying standard for the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships. She had already qualified for nationals in the 600 meter run at December's ISU Holiday Preview.

Sophomore Jenna Higgins, another national qualifier with her performance at last weekend's Sol Butler Classic in Dubuque, tied her school record while winning the 55 meter dash in :07.32. Senior Beth Ripperger raced to the title in the one mile run, also setting a school mark with a time of 5:22.18. Senior Janae Rosien earned Mount Mercy's fourth victory, winning the long jump with a distance of 16'-7".

Mount Mercy had nine top-10s on the men's side, including a third-place finish by freshman TJ Mosbach in the 3,000 meter run (9:38.47). Freshman Gary Bannister was sixth (9:59.61), junior Mike Miroux eighth (10:05.53), and senior Jayson Lawton 10th (10:22.52) in the same event.

Mosbach also finished fifth in the mile run in 4:39.90. Junior Cody Robertson was fourth in the 55 meter hurdles (:08.39), and he teamed up with senior Matt Clarke, freshman David Carbajal, and sophomore Kyle Miroux to place fifth in the 4x400 meter relay in 3:53.21. Clarke (2:08.54) and Carbajal (2:12.60) were sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 800 meter run.

The Mustangs return to Mount Vernon for the Hilltop Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 10:00 a.m.