2012 GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship Women's Results


May 4, 2012 - Junior Amanda Putt inserted another impressive bullet point to a resume that stands among the best in Charger women's track history Friday afternoon.

Putt won the GLIAC championship in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:27.66. That broke the old conference meet record by more than two seconds. The two-time indoor national champion will next hit the track at the outdoor championships later this month in Colorado.

As a team, Hillsdale finished in 7th place at this year's conference meet, held at Grand Valley State University. The Chargers accumulated 55 points, which was eight more than the men's team scored, but the women's team finished two spots lower in the final standings.

Senior Jennifer Shaffer turned in a strong performance for the team in the 800 meter run. She set a school record with a second-place time of 2:09.84. Shaffer (pictured) led three Hillsdale College runners in the top seven in that event, being joined by Putt and freshman Amy Kerst.

Shaffer also anchored the third-place 4x400 meter relay team, getting joined by Erin Benjamin, Becky Caywood and Chelsea Wackernagel.

Individually, the Chargers produced four eighth place finishes, including Nikki Yancho in the long jump, Kathy Dirksen in the hammer throw, Benjamin in the 400 and Kayla Caldwell in the 100 meter dash.

Sophomore Amber Mueller had a good finish in the javelin throw, taking seventh with a toss of 33.07 meters. Teammate Cat Nass took fifth in that event, going .78 meters better.

Wackernagel and Caldwell tied for fourth place in the pole vault, each clearing 3.76 meters. They joined Caywood and Benjamin on the 4x100 meter relay team that finished in fourth place at the championships.