Monmouth Women Win MWC Southern Division Track & Field Meet

Baker, McVey earn individual honors

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/16/2021) — While the Friday weather was picture-perfect, all the events on Saturday were hampered by pouring rain. But that didn't stop the Monmouth College Women's Track and Field team from winning the Midwest Conference Southern Division meet in convincing fashion. The Scots finished 20 events with 263 points, outdistancing the 137 posted by second place Illinois College and coach Roger Haynes was named Southern Division Coach of the Year.

Kenzie Baker (Aledo, Illinois) led from wire to wire to win the 100m race at 12.20. She pulled off the double winning the 200m at 25.34 just ahead of teammate Jordan Peckham (Farmington, Illinois) at 25.69. Peckham won the 400m race in 57.74, just off her season-best of 57.72. Baker, Peckham, Mik Moore (Washington, Illinois) and Skylar Garey (Metamora, Illinois) combined to win the 4x400 relay at 4:10.03. Peckham ran 1:00.03 in the final leg after grabbing the baton with the Scots trailing by 1.11 seconds. Those three titles helped Baker win the Southern Division Track Performer of the Year.

Julia Sterr (Clinton, Illinois) won the 10,000m in 41:24.53 with Gabriela Peterson (Southwick, Massachusetts) finishing third at 47:32.26. On Saturday Sterr finished second in the 5000m at 18:51.17 with Ezzie Baltierra-Chavez (Aurora, Colorado) third at 19:45.54.

Josie Welker (Lewistown, Illinois) won the High Jump at 1.44m (4' 8.75"). Katie Hayes (Romeoville, Illinois) won the Pole Vault at 3.28m (10' 9") with Linsey Turner (Elburn, Illinois) finishing second at 2.83m (9' 3.25").

Hannah McVey (Monmouth, Illinois) won the Discus Throw at 37.83m (124' 1") ahead of Amanda Dybal (Apex, North Carolina) at 37.41m (122' 9"). McVey also won the Hammer Throw as the Scots swept the event. McVey threw 50.21m (164' 9") with Kareema Lawal (Aurora, Illinois) second at 47.66m (156' 4") and Leigha Sebben (Rock Island, Illinois) third at 47.47m (155' 9"). Sebben finished third in the shot put at 11.87m (38' 11.5").

Cindy Ladner (Galesburg, Illinois) finished second in the triple jump at 10.71m (35' 1.75"). Ladner finished second in the long jump at 5.51m (18' 1"). Sebben won the Javelin with a heave of 32.34m (106' 1") while McVey finished third at 25.00m (82' 0"). With two titles and a third-place finish, McVey was named the Southern Division Field Performer of the Year.

Baltierra-Chavez won the 3000m steeplechase at 11:47.79. The time is her personal best in the event. Arika Hoffmann (Monmouth, Illinois) finished second in the 5000m race at 4:52.02. Moore finished second in the 800m at 2:24.84 while Hoffmann finished third at 2:26.74. The 4x100m relay team of Baker, Peckham, Ladner at Hayes finished second at 48.94