Morningside records four top-20 performances at USD Early Bird

VERMILLION, S.D. – Strongs teams from across all levels of college track and field convened at the Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion Friday and Saturday, and the Mustangs recorded three top-20's and a plethora of other strong performances.

Three of the four 20th or better finishes came in the 400-meters Saturday. Michelle Sanchez took 11th at 1:02.34 and Jolee Mesz placed 12th at 1:02.4. Emily Chicoine, who competed in four events over the weekend, took 19th with a time of 1:04.8. Shelby Mills claimed the other top-20 finish by taking 11th in the discus at 126-7 (38.59 meters).

Chicoine ran one event Friday, the 1,500, where she won her heat with a time of 5:04.84 for 29th. She also competed in the javelin, placing 23rd with a throw of 99-01 (30.2 meters), and ran the 200.

Friday was a strong day for the Mustang distance runners. Michelle Sanchez (2:21.96), Courtney Sporrer (2:22.5), and Taylor Sporrer (2:25.19) placed within five places of each other in the 800. London Rogge was the top finisher in the 5,000, running 20:28.22.

The sprints competed Saturday, and a majority of the competitors received wind-aided times due to the strong wind gusts. Meredith Draper's heat of the 100-meters was one of a few that didn't surpass the 2.0 meters-per-second requirement to be considered wind-aided, but she ran a personal best 12.8 seconds in the event anyway. Draper, along with two other Morningside runners, did have a wind-aided run in the 200-meters. Draper ran 27.26 in the 200. 

Outside of Mills' finish in the discus and Chicoine's performance in the javelin, Mills also placed 21st in the hammer (134-8) and Jacee Tindall took 24th in the javelin (98-8). Tindall also competed in the hammer throw (102-10), and shot put (31-10.75). 

Morningside is back in action at the Sioux City Relays Friday and Saturday at Elwood Olsen Stadium.