Illinois Wesleyan 2006 Track Stories

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July 24
The Illinois Wesleyan men's and women's track teams have been honored by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their academic and athletic accomplishments during the outdoor track season. The IWU men represent one of 30 Division III institutions with cumulative team grade-point averages of 3.0 or better while the IWU women's team is one of 50 Division III schools. In addition, juniors Rachel Anderson (Clinton HS) and Mary Ellen Barron (Naperville, Neuqua Valley HS) and last year's senior Melinda Sprague (Ballwin, Mo., Parkway West HS) were among the 180 named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track & Field Team. To qualify, athletes needed to balance a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 with an NCAA qualifying standard in their event.

June 22
Rachel Anderson and Melissa Harden have been named “Most Valuable Performers” for the Illinois Wesleyan women’s track team while Matt Harden earned the honor for the men’s team. Anderson was the national champion in the 400-meter dash in both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Division III championships. Melissa Harden won the  indoor long jump and got fourth in the triple jump. Matt Harden finished fifth in the NCAA indoor meet in the 55 and was named the CCIW indoor meet’s “Outstanding Male Athlete”. In other team honors, Kristy Lehan and Bryan Duling were chosen as their respective squad’s “Most Dedicated Athlete” while Emily Willenbring and Jordan Jeffers were the “Best Newcomers” for the women and men, respectively. Nick Burge and Mike Nicoletti will serve as the co-captains for the 2007 men’s team while Anderson and Mary Kate Gergel will be the women’s captains.

May 27
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Rachel Anderson won the 400-meter dash on Sat., May 27, in the NCAA Division III national outdoor track championships, held at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. That duplicates her 400 title in the indoor national meet earlier this year. Anderson had a winning time of 54.98 seconds in the 400, just shy of the school-record 54.82 she ran in the preliminaries, which was the best in Division III this spring. Anderson also placed seventh in the 200 in a school-record 24.60 and earned All-American status in both events. Earlier in the meet, senior Melinda Sprague also earned All-American status as she placed sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a school-record time of 10:46.56. Senior Melissa Harden fell short of making the finals in the triple jump, finishing 12th.

May 26
Illinois Wesleyan's Melinda Sprague earned All-America status as she placed sixth in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III national outdoor track championships on Fri., May 26, at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. Sprague had a time of 10:46.56 as the winner, Amanda Kuca of Concordia (Wis.) set a Division III championship record in 10:15.72, besting the old mark by over 10 seconds. IWU’s Rachel Anderson posted the fastest time of year in Division III to qualify first for the finals of the 400 meter dash. Anderson's time of 54.82 topped SUNY-Oneonta's Ashlee Robertson's time of 55.49. Anderson also qualified for the 200 meters with a time of 24.68 seconds.

May 22
Three women and one man will represent Illinois Wesleyan among the 688 competitors at the NCAA Division III national outdoor track and field championships, to be held May 25-27 at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. Sophomore Rachel Anderson will compete in both the 200 and 400 meter runs, Melissa Harden will go in the triple jump and Melinda Sprague will compete again this year in the 3000 meter steeplechase. Matt Harden will run in the 200 meter dash for the men. Anderson, who is the reigning 400 meter indoor champion, has the lowest qualifying time in the nation with her 400 meter run of 55.25 seconds this spring.

May 6
The Illinois Wesleyan women's track team finished fifth and the men's track team finished seventh in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin track championships, held May 5-6 in Decatur. The Titan women amassed 109 points as Wheaton won the team title with 179 points and the Titan men gathered 32 points while North Central repeated with 232 points. Rachel Anderson won the 200 and 400 and Matt Harden won the 100 meter dash to account for IWU individual victories while the IWU 4x100 men's relay team of Harden, Segun Olopo, Azizzuddin Rose and Erich Sauer also placed first. Melissa Harden got second in the long jump and triple jump and fourth in the 100 hurdles. The women's 4x100 relay team placed second and the 4x400 relay team placed third.

May 5
Illinois Wesleyan senior Melinda Sprague set a meet record in winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase to highlight Illinois Wesleyan performances on the first day (Fri., May 5) of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Decatur. Sprague's winning time of 11 minutes, 8.21 seconds broke the previous record by nearly eight seconds. Julia Varsamis placed second in the javelin (131 feet, 10 inches) and fourth in the hammer throw (128-3). Senior Melissa Harden was second in the triple jump (38-51/4) and Cortney Walrath took third in the pole vault (11-3 3/4). There were seven finals each Friday for men and women and no one from the IWU men's team placed in the top eight in Friday's finals. No team scores were available for the meet, which concludes on Sat., May 6.

April 22
The Illinois Wesleyan women's team accounted for nine first place finishes and the men earned four at the Keck Ecumenical, held April 22 at IWU Stadium. For the women, Rachel Anderson got first in both the 200 and 400 while other winners were Krystal Jenkins (100), Emily Willenbring (800), Melinda Sprague (1500), MaryKate Gergel (5000), Dake Marshall (100 hurdles), Cortney Walrath (pole vault) and Molly May (javelin). For the men, Matt Harden was a double winner (200 and 400) while Segun Olopo took the 100 and Todd Cruickshank won the triple jump.

April 15
The Illinois Wesleyan women’s track team won nine events en route to earning the title of the five-team Millikin Big Blue Classic on Sat., April 15. The Titans amassed 193 points to outdistance second place Illinois College with 137. The IWU men grabbed fourth place (of seven) with 99 points. Earning victories for the women were Rachel Anderson in the 100-meter dash (12.81 seconds) and the 200 (25.18), Dale Marshall in the 100 hurdles (16.81) and the long jump (16 feet, 7 inches), Brooke Halcott in the 400 (1:00.47), Allison Fisher in the 800 (2:25.32), Melinda Sprague in the 3,000 steeplechase (11:12.67), Liz Doerner in the high jump (5-3 3/4) and Cortney Walrath in the pole vault (10-8). IWU's 1,600 relay team of Anderson, Kristi Schuessler, Fisher and Halcott won in 4:09.86. For the men, winners were Matt Harden in the 100 (10.86) and 200 (22.03), Jordan Jeffers in the 800 (2:06.49), Todd Cruikshank in the triple jump (40-11.5) and the 400 relay team of Harden, Segun Olopo, Erich Sauer and Azizuddin Rose (41.95).

April 8
The Illinois Wesleyan men's and women's track teams competed in the Big Blue Classic at Eastern Illinois University April 7-8. Competing against Division I entrants in the nonscored team division, IWU's Melinda Sprague got second in the steeplechase with a time of 11:30.66 and Julia Varsamis placed second in the javelin with a throw of 130 feet. Cortney Walrath got third in the pole vault with a height of 10 feet, 11 3/4 inches, and Brooke Halcott got sixth in the 400 (1:00.28). For the men, Segun Olopo got sixth in the 100 with a time of 11.16 seconds.

April 1
Rachel Anderson and Matt Harden turned in first place finishes against Division I competition at the Mike Poehlein Invitational at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sat., April 1. Anderson won the 400 in a time of 56.48 seconds and Harden won the 200 with his time of 22.06 seconds. Anderson also finished seventh in the 200 (25.76) and Harden was sixth in the 400 (49.91). Melissa Harden got fifth in both the long jump and triple jump and Julia Varsamis got third place in the javelin throw. The non-scored meet featured athletes from D-I schools including Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Bradley and Illinois-Chicago.

March 11
On the strength of national champion efforts by senior Melissa Harden and sophomore Rachel Anderson, the Illinois Wesleyan women's team placed fourth in the 2006 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., held March 10-11. Harden, who qualified 15th of 16 to get in the national meet, had a personal best (by one foot) jump of 18 feet-8 ½ inches to win the long jump event by a full inch while Anderson turned in a time of 56.35 seconds to win the 400 after placing second last year. Harden also got fourth in the triple jump with a career-best 38' 1 1/2" and the 4x400 relay team of Harden, Anderson, Brooke Halcoot and Emily Willenbring finished eighth, The IWU men tied for 26th as sophomores Matt Harden (6.44 seconds) and Segun Olopo (6.46) finished fifth and sixth in the 55 meter dash.

March 10
Senior Melissa Harden is the national champion in the long jump at the 2006 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. Harden, who qualified 15th of 16 to get in the national meet, had a jump of 18 feet-8 ½ inches to win the event by a full inch and will now compete in the triple jump and the 4 x 400 relay. Rachel Anderson (400) and Cortney Walrath (pole vault) join Matt Harden and Segun Olopo (both 55 dash) as individual entrants, while Anderson and Melissa Harden team with Brooke Halcott and Emily Willenbring in the 4 x 400 relay. Anderson and Matt Harden were indoor All-Americans a year ago, with Anderson placing second in the 400.

March 6
Five individuals and one relay team will represent Illinois Wesleyan at the national NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, to be held March 10-11 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. Rachel Anderson (400), Cortney Walrath (pole vault) and Melissa Harden (triple jump, long jump, 55 hurdles) join Matt Harden and Segun Olopo (both 55 dash) as the individual entrants, while Anderson and Melissa Harden team with Brooke Halcott and Emily Willenbring in the 4 x 400 relay. Anderson and Matt Harden were indoor All-Americans a year ago, with Anderson placing second in the 400.

February 25
The Illinois Wesleyan women’s team (13.83 points) finished second and the men’s team (92 points) placed third in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin indoor track championships at Carthage on Sat., Feb. 25. Sophomore Matt Harden was named the meet’s “Outstanding Male Athlete” as he won the 400 (50.24) and was third in the 200 dash and 55 hurdles. Senior Melissa Harden won the 55-meter hurdles (8.28 seconds) and long jump (18 feet, 1.75 inches) and was second in the triple jump (37-8), all national qualifying efforts. Sophomore Rachel Anderson won the 200 (25.46), ran a leg on the first place 1,600 relay (4:01.77) and placed third in the 55. Other 1600 relay team members were Allison Fisher, Brooke Halcott and freshman Emily Willenbring. Women earning third place finishes were senior Melinda Sprague (mile), Willenbring (800) and Dale Marshall (long jump). IWU was second in the 3,200 relay and third in the distance medley. For the men, Segun Olopo (6.47) and Erich Sauer finished 1-2 in the 55, Olopo was second in the 200 and Jon Blome was second in the pole vault. The 800 relay team of Sauer, Josh Prince, Azizuddin Rose and Nick Burge turned in a winning time of 1:32.32. IWU was second in the 1,600 relay. North Central won both the women’s and men’s titles with 146.50 points and 195, respectively.

February 18
Two school records fell as the Illinois Wesleyan indoor track teams continued to tune up for the conference meet at the Hoosier Hills Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., on Fri., Feb. 17. Cortney Walrath broke her own indoor record in the pole vault with a height of 12 feet and Melinda Sprague set a school mark with a time of 5:15.90. Segun Olopo's time of 22.12 in the 200 was run on a banked track so does not count as a school record for the men. The Titans compete in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin meet next Sat., Feb. 25, at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis.

February 11
The Illinois Wesleyan women’s track team finished third and the men’s team was seventh at the Illinois College Blue Classic on Sat., Feb. 11 in Jacksonville. First place finishers for the women were Rachel Anderson (55), Melissa Harden (55 hurdles), Courtney Walrath (pole vault), and Dale Marshall (triple jump) along with the 4x400 relay team. The men’s 4x400 relay team also placed first in a time of 3:26.96 and Jon Blome won the pole vault while Erich Sauer got second in the 200 and third in the 55. The IWU women’s team scored 106.5 points while the winning Washington U. team had 129, and the Titan men amassed 50 points while Greenville was first with 126.5.

February 4
With 89 points, the Illinois Wesleyan women’s team finished first (of 11) and the men’s team was third (of 13) with 55 points at the Titan Open, held at the Shirk Center on Sat., Feb. 4. Melissa Harden provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division III national meet in four events – the 55 hurdles, the triple jump, long jump and as part of the 1,600 relay team (with Rachel Anderson, Brooke Halcott and Emily Willenbring). Anderson won the 400 in an automatic NCAA qualifying time of 56.69, which is No. 1 in the nation. Molly May and Courtney Walrath won the high jump and pole vault, respectively, with Walrath provisionally qualifying with her school record mark. Matt Harden set a school record in the 55 with a provisional qualifying time of 6.39 seconds and he helped the 1,600 relay team to a first place finish (with Mike Nicoletti, Nick Burge and Bryan Timm).

January 28
The Illinois Wesleyan men's and women's track teams used the Monmouth Invitational as a chance to work on certain events and the result was a number of first places and two school records. Competing without the team's distance runners, among the Titan first place finishers were Brooke Halcott in the 200 and 400; Molly May (tie for 1st in high jump); and Cortney Walrath with an NCAA provisional mark of 11'3" in the pole vault. Julia Varsamis bettered her own school mark in the weight throw. For the men, Segun Olopo and Matt Harden went 1-2 in the 55 and Travis Rogers won the 300.

January 21
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Rachel Anderson was a double winner and Julia Varsamis set a school record in the weight throw at the University of Chicago Invitational indoor track meet on Sat., Jan. 21. Anderson won the 200 (26.19 seconds) and the 400 (58.19) while Varsamis finished second with her record-setting toss of 13.0 meters. For the men, Segun Olopo won the 55 meter dash (6.46 seconds) and got third in the 200 while teammate Matt Harden won the 200 in a time of 22.36 seconds. Cortney Walrath got second in the women's pole vault at a height of 3.38 meters.

January 14
Cortney Walrath set a women's school record and had an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying mark in the pole vault at the IWU Relays, held Sat., Jan. 14 at the Shirk Center. Walrath went a height of 11 feet-2 1/4 inches in the pole vault and won the event. Melissa Harden also had a provisional qualifying mark in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.51 seconds. She also won the triple jump in 36 feet-3 inches. IWU's Jon Blome was the winner of the pole vault, Travis Rogers took the triple jump, and the women's 4x400 relay team of Harden, Brooke Halcott, Rachel Anderson and Emily Willenbring won the race with a time of 4:05.85.

January 6
The Illinois Wesleyan indoor track season opens with the IWU Relays at the Shirk Center at 10 a.m. on Sat., Jan. 14. The Titans return last year's indoor All-American, sophomore Rachel Anderson, who finished second in the 400 meters with a time of 56.78 in the NCAA Division III national championships. Anderson was a mere .07 off the championship pace. Sophomore Matt Harden was also an indoor All-American in 2005 as he finished seventh in the 55 meter dash in a time of 6.44 seconds. As a team, the IWU women finished with a total of 10 points, good for a tie for 21st while the men amassed six points and tied for 28th in the 2005 national meet.