Track brings home four All-Americans

Story by Lauren Bechard

Four members of the Baker University indoor track and field teams earned All-America honors after their performances at the 2014 NAIA Indoor Track National Championships Thursday-Saturday in Geneva, Ohio.

Junior Tyler Sloan was the first to receive an All-America honor for the Wildcats after running the 60-meter hurdles in 8.78 seconds, good for fifth place.

Junior Kayla Hannam earned All-America status next for Baker with a fifth place, 11.58-meter triple jump. She also tied for 20th place in the high jump after clearing 1.60-meters.

Billi Pipes ran the 200-meter dash in 24.94 seconds to earn her All-America honor and seventh place in the event.

For the men, senior Jeremy Gathright took fourth in the 400-meter dash, with a time of 47.84 seconds. The meet was Gathright’s last as a Wildcat, and he also competed in the long jump and triple jump.

Four other Wildcats competed at nationals including senior Megan Rosa, who set a school record for the 5,000-meter run, with a time of 18:02. Rosa knocked 23 seconds off of her best time this season and placed 17th at nationals.

Seniors Stephanie Nelson and Valerie Schirmer represented Baker in the women’s shot put. Nelson took 11th place with a 13.32-meter throw, while Schirmer’s 12.80-meter throw earned her the No. 20 spot.

Senior Katie Thurbon cleared 3.48-meters to take 13th place in the pole vault.

Freshman Jana Koegel competed alongside Sloan in the 60-meter hurdles and finished in 15th with a personal record time of 9.09 seconds.

Baker will begin its outdoor track and field season on Thursday at the Southwestern Invite in Winfield.