Baker Qualifies for 200m Finals

Senior runs 3rd best 200m in school history

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, lll. (05/27/2021) — With a season and career best run of 24.38 seconds, Monmouth College senior Kenzie Baker (Aledo, Illinois) qualified for Saturday's 200m finals at the Division III NCAA Track & Field Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. Running in the second heat on Thursday, Baker got out to an early lead from lane 8 and at the end she surged into a fourth-place finish at 24.38.

The top two from each heat qualified for Saturday's final and Baker had to wait until the end of the third heat to make sure her number would hold up. It did as both she and third-place finisher from heat 2, Aspen Rolfes from Nebraska Wesleyan advanced. Baker had the sixth best time on Thursday from the three heats with heat 2 winner Favor Ezewuzie from Wheaton College leading the way at 23.94.

Thursday's time of 24.38 is tied with Constance Jackson for the third-best 200m run in Monmouth College history. Jackson held the top three times in school history with a 24.35 at the 2002 NCAA Championships, a 24.35 in 2001 and a 24.38 at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Jackson was a 200m All-American in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with a second-place finish and a fourth-place finish.

Baker's previous best of 24.56 came at the True Blue Invitational at Illinois College back in April. By clinching a spot in Saturday's final, Baker ensures an All-American senior season. Saturday's race is scheduled to begin at 1:40 p.m. CT and will be streamed on NCAA.com.

Jordan Peckham (Farmingtom, Illinois) will compete Friday in the 400m race. Drew Thaxton (Decatur, Illinois) competes Saturday in the Shot Put. Reed Wilson (Normal, Illinois) finished in a tie for 13th in the Pole Vault on Thursday as he didn't not clear the opening height of 4.60m.