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June 15
Senior Tyler Neal has been selected as the “Most Valuable Perfomer” for the 2005 Illinois Wesleyan men's track team while junior Melinda Sprague was chosen as the “MVP” for the women's team. Neal placed first in the 200 and third in the 100 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin outdoor meet and qualified for the outdoor national meet with the nation’s seventh-best qualifying time of 21.5 seconds, a school record. At the CCIW indoor championships, Neal won the long jump and was fourth in the 200.
Sprague finished 13th at the NCAA Division III national outdoor meet in the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 11:30.73 and won the event in the CCIW meet with a time of 11:31.91. She also helped the IWU team to a fourth place finish at the indoor CCIW championships with her second place, school record mile run of 5:15.7.
In other men's team awards, Matt Harden earned the “Most Valuable Freshman” honor, senior Clint Warren won the “Team Player” award and senior Josh Evans was chosen as the “Hardest Worker.”
In other women's team awards, Rachel Anderson earned the “Most Valuable Freshman” honor, junior Kristy Lehan won the “Team Player” award and freshman Mary Ellen Barron was chosen as the “Hardest Worker.”
June 3
Illinois Wesleyan senior Gena Rawlins has been named to the second team of the District Five College Division academic all-district women’s track and field/cross country squad.
Rawlins of Atlanta, Ill., received her bachelor’s degree cum laude in May. She majored in risk management. She was a member of both Alpha Lambda Delta and Egas honor societies.
A three-time team MVP and a two-time team captain, Rawlins was a 14-time career All-American. Her most recent All-America performance came in the NC AA Division III Outdoor Championships held last month when she finished eighth in the 400 meters. She was seventh in the indoor nationals earlier this year. Rawlins was a member of the Titans’ national champion indoor 4x400 relay team in 2004.
In addition, Rawlins won 14 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championship, most recently capturing the outdoor 400 meter title. She holds nine Illinois Wesleyan records.
The all-district teams are chosen by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. To be considered for the CoSIDA Academic All-America squads, players must be of at least sophomore standing, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 (of 4.0), and be a starter or first-line reserve. The program is sponsored by ESPN The Magazine.
May 26-28
Two Illinois Wesleyan women athletes and one male athlete earned All-America status at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held May 26-28 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Freshman Rachel Anderson finished fifth while senior Gena Rawlins placed eighth in the women's 400-meter dash. Anderson crossed the finish line in 55.86 seconds and Rawlins ran a time of 58.82 seconds. Freshman Matt Harden finished sixth in the 200 with a time of 21.55 seconds.
Other IWU placers included junior Melinda Sprague, who was 13th in the 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 11:30.73, and freshman Cortney Walrath, who finished 17th in the pole vault at a height of 11 feet, 3/4 inches.
Matt Harden failed to make the finals in the 110 hurdles or the 100 dash. He was fourth in his heat (10.78) in the 100, and sixth in his heat (14.92) of the hurdles.
Other Titan men failing to qualify for the finals in their respective events were Zach Gorsage in the 110 hurdles (fourth in heat in 14.74) and Segun Olopo in the 100 dash (fifth in heat in 11.0).
Senior Tyler Neal ran a 22.07 and did not qualify for the 200 finals.
The IWU men's 4x100 relay of Neal, Harden, Olopo and Eric Sauer was third in its heat with a time of 41.29 seconds and did not advance.
In other event qualifying for the women, Anderson clocked a 25.22 in the 200 and did not qualify, placing fifth in her heat.
The women's 4x100 relay team of Anderson, Rawlins, Krystal Jenkins and Melissa Harden was third in its heat at 47.80 and narrowly missed advancing to the finals.
The 4x400 quartet of Rawlins, Anderson, Brooke Halcott and Allison Fisher placed fourth in its heat at 3:55.33 and did not qualify.
Melissa Harden’s triple jump of 37 feet-4 1/2 inches did not advance her to the finals.
For complete results from the Division III outdoor meet, click here.
May 6-7
Senior Gena Rawlins won the 400 in an NCAA qualifying time and the Illinois Wesleyan 4x400 relay team also finished first as the IWU women’s team finished fifth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships, held at Augustana May 6-7. The Titans collected 111 points as Carthage was the winner with 189. Melissa Harden placed second in the long jump and fourth in the 100 hurdles and Rachel Anderson was second in the 200 and fourth in the 100. Allison Fisher was second in the 800, IWU’s 4x100 relay team got second and Valerie Lambrecht earned a third place finish in the 5000. Melinda Sprague and Melissa Harden were Friday winners for IWU. Sprague won the 3000 steeplechase in a time of 11:31.91 and Harden had an NCAA qualifiying mark of 37 feet, 8 1/2 inches in winning the triple jump. Julia Varsamis placed third in the javelin at 120 feet, 3 inches and Cortney Walrath was fifth in the pole vault (11'1").
For complete women's results, click here.
Freshman Matt Harden won the 110 hurdles and took first in the 100 dash in an NCAA qualifying time as the Illinois Wesleyan men’s team finished fifth in the CCIW championships. The Titans amassed 97.5 points as North Central took the title with 214. The IWU 4x100 relay team set a conference record at 41.50 seconds and qualified for the NCAA national meet. Tyler Neal got first in the 200 and third in the 100 and senior Zach Gorsage got a second (110 hurdles), third (400 hurdles), and fourth place (high jump) in the conference meet.
On the first day of competition, IWU got a third place finish from Mike Bragg in the javelin with a throw of 169 feet, 9 inches, and a fourth place finish from Jon Blome in the pole vault (15 feet, 1/4 inches). Neal (21.5 seconds) and Harden (21.61) both qualified for the NCAA national meet in the preliminaries of the 200.
For complete men's results, click here.
April 30
Illinois Wesleyan freshman Rachel Anderson turned in a time of 56.41 seconds to win the 400 meter dash and the IWU 4x100 relay team also finished first with a time of 48.61 seconds against a predominantly Division I field in the Illinois State Redbird Invitational, held in Normal on Sat., April 30. Melissa Harden got third in the long jump (17 feet, 8 3/4 inches) and Melinda Sprague placed third in the steeplechase, while Dale Marshall got fourth in the triple jump and Cortney Walrath had a height of 10 feet, 8 inches for a sixth place finish in the pole vault.
The IWU men’s track team got second place finishes from the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams and had several outstanding individual performances against a Division I field at the ISU Redbird Invitational. Matt Harden finished second in the 200 with a time of 21.63 seconds and teammate Tyler Neal placed third with a run of 21.78. Mike Bragg got second in the javelin (169’7”), Zach Gorsage got a third in the 110 hurdles and Jon Blome finished fourth in the pole vault at 14 feet, 9 inches.
For complete results, click here.
April 16
The Illinois Wesleyan women's track team finished first in the Big Blue Classic, held at Millikin on Sat., April 16. The Titans amassed 180 points, topping second place Rhodes (137) in the seven-team meet. Among the IWU winners were Rachel Anderson (in the 100 and 200), Cortney Walrath (pole vault), Melissa Harden (long jump), Allison Fisher in the 800, Melinda Sprague (3000 steeplechase), Valerie Lambrecht (5000) and Gena Rawlins (400). The 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams were also winners and Rawlins placed second to Anderson in the 200.
The IWU men's team placed second in the nine-team men's edition of the Big Blue Classic. The Titans had 156.5 total points and trailed only Wabash (177). Matt Harden was a dual winner for IWU, taking the 200 and the 110 hurdles. Other IWU winners were Tyler Neal in the long jump; Jon Blome in the pole vault; Mike Bragg in the javelin; and the 4x100 relay team. Zach Gorsage was second to Harden in the 110 hurdles.
April 9
The Illinois Wesleyan men’s track team finished eighth in the Wartburg Select track meet, held in Waverly, Iowa, on April 8-9. The Titans accumulated 49 points in the 12-team meet, which was won by Nebraska Wesleyan with 176 points. Freshman Matt Harden turned in a blazing 10.58-second effort (an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying time) in the prelims of the 100 meter dash and Zach Gorsage set a stadium and meet record with a time of 14.69 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles. Mike Bragg won the javelin with a toss of 175 feet.
The IWU women’s team finished seventh in the Wartburg Select track meet. The Titans amassed 62 points in the 13-team meet, which was won by Wartburg with 194 points. Freshman Cortney Walrath set a school record with a pole vault of 11’9”, an NCAA provisional mark. Melissa Harden got second in both the long jump (17’6”) and triple jump (37’3”) and Rachel Anderson and Gena Rawlins turned in second and third performances in the 400 meters with times of 56.60 and 57.88 seconds. The IWU 4x100 relay team won in an NCAA provisional time of 48.61 seconds.
April 2
The Illinois Wesleyan women’s track team finished fifth at the Augustana Viking Olympics meet in Rock Island on Sat., April 2. The Titans amassed 118 points in the 12-team meet, which was won by Augustana with 248 points. Freshman Rachel Anderson won the 200-meter dash in a meet record and NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 25.06 seconds. Melissa Harden captured the long jump at 17 feet, 5 1/2 inches as well as the triple jump at 35-8 and senior Gena Rawlins won the 400 in 59.77. IWU also won the 1,600 relay in 3:58.81 and the 400 relay in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 48.72.
The IWU men’s team finished fourth at the Augustana Viking Olympics meet . The Titans scored 122 points in the 11-team meet, which was won by Augustana with 213.5 points. Freshman Matt Harden won the 110 high hurdles in a meet record and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14.41 seconds. He also captured the 400 intermediate hurdles in 55.20. Mike Bragg won the javelin at 163 feet-11 inches and Zach Gorsage was second in the high hurdles in a provisional time of 14.58 seconds.
March 26
Illinois Wesleyan freshman Rachel Anderson posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 57.13 seconds in winning the 400-meter run to help the Illinois Wesleyan women's track and field team place second in the 12-team Rhodes College Lynx Invitational at Memphis, Tenn., on Sat., March 26. Anderson joined Allison Fisher and Melissa Harden in earning individual first-place finishes for the Titans, who totaled 109 1/2 points to earn second behind Carthage (148 1/2). Fisher won the 800 in 2:22.85, while Harden posted a triple jump of 36 feet, 6 inches. Anderson and Fisher teamed with Gena Rawlins and Brooke Halcott to win the 1,600 relay in 4:04.62.
The IWU men’s team amassed 99 points to place third in the Lynx Invitational. The Titans trailed only Monmouth (185 ½ points) and Capital (119). Josh Evans, Matt Harden and Jon Blome all were individual winners for the Titans. Evans won the 800 in 1:57.99; Harden took the 110 hurdles in 15.5 and Blome pole vaulted 14-0.
March 11-12
Illinois Wesleyan freshman Rachel Anderson finished second in the 400 meters with a time of 56.78 on Sat., March 12, in the NCAA Division III national indoor track and field championships meet held at the Shirk Center. Anderson was a mere .07 off the championship pace. Teammate Gena Rawlins, a senior, finished seventh in the event in a time of 58.94 and has been an indoor All-American for four straight seasons. For the men, senior Zach Gorsage raced to a fifth place finish in the men's 55 meter hurdles with his time of 7.55 seconds, bettering his seventh place finish in 2003. Freshman Matt Harden was the fourth IWU track athlete to earn All-American status at the meet as he finished seventh in the 55 meter dash in a time of 6.44 seconds.
As a team, the Illinois Wesleyan 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 national meet.
February 26
The Illinois Wesleyan men's track and field team finished third and the women's team placed fourth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship at the Shirk Center on Sat., Feb. 26. The Titan men scored 117 points, behind only North Central (186) and Carthage (126.5).Illinois Wesleyan athletes set three CCIW records - freshman Matt Harden broke the league mark while winning the 55 meters in 6.43 seconds. Zach Gorsage set a new conference record in the 55 hurdles in 7.55 seconds and the 800 relay team of Azizuddin Rose, Mike Nicoletti, Jake Clough and Tyler Neal set a new conference record of 1:30.28.
The women amassed 94 points, behind Carthage (163), North Central (130) and Augustana (106). The women were led by freshman Rachel Anderson with a first place finish in the 400 (58.08) and a second in the 200 (25.5). Also getting seconds for IWU were Melinda Sprague in a school record mile run of 5:15.7; Valerie Lambrecht (5,000) also in a school record of 18:35.11; Melissa Harden (triple jump) and the distance medley relay team of Megan Byrne, Katie Elwood, Mary Barron and Sprague, setting a school record in 12:50.51.
February 19
The Illinois Wesleyan men's track and field team finished second and the IWU women finished third in the seven-team Knox Invitational on Sat., Feb. 19 in Galesburg, Ill. The Titan men finished with 120 points, behind only Division I Western Illinois with 194. Zach Gorsage and freshman Matt Harden (shown) tied for first in the men's 55 hurdles with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.63 seconds. Nick Burge won the 400 dash in 51.28, Lane Coonrood captured the 1,500, and the 1,600 relay team of Harden, Mike Nicoletti, Burge and Jake Clough also finished first.
The IWU women’s team amassed 100 points, behind Division I Western Illinois (226) and Truman State (129). Freshman Rachel Anderson won the 400 in 57.56, a NCAA provisional time, and teamed with Brooke Halcott, Allison Fisher and Melinda Sprague to win the 1,600 relay. The distance medley relay team of Abby Smith, Katie Elwood, Leanne Lessard (shown) and Carrie Bragg also finished first. Gena Rawlins was second in the 400 in an NCAA provisional time of 58.29.
February 12
The Illinois Wesleyan men’s and women’s track teams both finished second (of nine teams) in the Illinois College Midseason Indoor Invitational at Jacksonville, Ill., on Sat., Feb. 12. As a team, the men amassed 104 points, second to the 125 by Washington U. Individual Titan winners were freshman Matt Harden in the 55 (6.51 seconds), senior Tyler Neal in the 200 with a school-record time of 22.69 seconds, Zach Gorsage in the 55 hurdles (7.70 seconds) and Clint Warren in the triple jump (42 feet-8 ¾ inches). Mike Bragg's seventh place finish in the weight throw was also good for a new school record at 41 feet-9 3/4 inches.
The IWU women earned 115 points, second to the 144 by Washington U. Individual Titan winners were freshman Cortney Walrath with a school-record pole vault of 10 feet-11 ¾ inches (an NCAA provisional mark), Abby Smith in the 1000 meter run with her time of 3:25.79, freshman Rachel Anderson in the 55 (7.48 seconds), and the 4 x 200 relay team with a winning mark of 1:47.57. The 4x200 relay team consisted of Anderson, Melissa Harden, Krystal Jenkins and Brooke Halcott. Dale Marshall got second in the triple jump and third in the long jump and in th 55 hurdles.
February 5
Senior Tim Hachmeister won the 800 in a time of 1:57.19 and freshman Cortney Walrath won the pole vault in 3.40 meters as the Illinois Wesleyan men’s team placed sixth (of 14) and the women’s team placed fourth (of 13) at the Titan Open on Sat., Feb. 5 at the Shirk Center. IWU's Zach Gorsage ran a time of 7.54 seconds in the 55 hurdles to qualify for the NCAA Division III national indoor meet and Matt Harden bettered his provisional qualifying time in the 55 hurdles with a fourth place run of 7.63 seconds.
Tyler Neal ran to a school record in the 200 with a time of 22.77 seconds and Melinda Sprague also set a school mark with her time of 5:18 in the mile, good for fourth place.
Rachel Anderson posted an NCAA provisional time of 58.22 en route to a second-place finish in the 400. Anderson also was sixth in the 200. Melissa Harden was third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump and 55 hurdles.
Lindenwood won both the men’s and women’s competition – the men got 129.75 points and the women accounted for 77.66; IWU’s men amassed 26.75 points and the women scored 60 points.
January 29
The Illinois Wesleyan women's team finished 3rd and the men's team finished 4th at the six-team Monmouth Invitational indoor track meet on Sat., Jan. 29. Melissa Harden won both the long jump and the triple jump while other IWU women winners were Brooke Halcott (300), Rachel Anderson (400), Melinda Sprague (mile), Cortney Walrath (pole vault), and the 4x400 relay team of Halcott, Anderson, Sprague, and Krystal Jenkins. Anderson's time of 58.76 seconds in the 400 and Walrath's pole vault of 3.30 meters (10 feet-10 inches) were NCAA provisional qualifying marks.
First place finishers for the men were Jake Clough (300), Matt Harden (400), Zach Gorsage (55 hurdles), and Jon Blome (pole vault). Clough's time of 36.83 seconds in the 300 was a school record along with Josh Evans' second place time of 1:23.79 in the 600.
Tyler Neal got second in the 200 and fourth in the 55 while Harden also got second in the 55 hurdles.
January 22
Illinois Wesleyan freshman Matt Harden won the 55 meter dash in a time of 6.49 seconds, setting a school record and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Division III national indoor meet in competition at the U. of Chicago Invitational on Sat., Jan. 22. Other IWU men’s individual winners were Jon Blome in the pole vault and Zach Gorsage in the 55 hurdles, while for the wonen, freshman Cortney Walrath won the pole vault (with a school record) and Valerie Lambrecht won the 5000. The women’s 4x400 team of Gena Rawlins, Krystal Jenkins, Rachel Anderson, and Brooke Halcott also claimed first place. Mike Bragg also set a school record in the weight throw with his toss of 12.08 meters.
January 15
Freshmen Matt Harden and Cortney Walrath were winners for Illinois Wesleyan in the IWU Relays indoor track meet at Shirk Center on Sat., Jan. 15. The IWU men tied for second while the women were third. Harden captured the 55 high hurdles in 7.65 seconds, one hundreth of a second ahead of teammate Zach Gorsage. Both times are NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Harden also helped IWU set a school record of 1:31.15 while placing second in the 800 relay with Tyler Neal, Azizuddin Rose and Jake Clough. Walrath's victory came in the pole vault, in which she cleared 9 feet, 11 1/2 inches (3.04 meters) to set a school record. Jon Blome pole vaulted 14-6 to place second. For the women, Melissa Harden took second in the 55 hurdles in 8.71 and IWU also placed second in the 800 and 1,600 relays. Melinda Sprague also set a school mark with her time of 10:45.96 in the 3000.
