TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo track & field program finished a weekend split meet at the Virginia Challenge and the Jesse Owens Classic with top performances in each group of the team.

"We had a pretty good weekend split over two meets," said Toledo Head Coach Linh Nguyen. "It looks like we picked up two more NCAA qualifiers and had a number of personal- best and season-best times."

The two NCAA qualifications came in the 3000m steeplechase at the Jesse Owens Classic. Athena Welsh and Zita Molnar finished second (10:26.96) and fourth (10:35.03), respectively. Welsh sits in 27th in the NCAA East Region while Molnar narrowly holds a qualifying time in the 43rd spot.

Nautica Hill led the Rocket sprinters with a 19th-place finish in the 100 meters and a fifth-place time in the 200 meters. Hill ran a season-best 24.32 in the latter to jump into fifth on the Mid-American Conference leader board in the event.

Janelle Noe and Theresa Warsecke also ran season-best times in the 1,500 meters for the Rockets. Noe and Warsecke finished in 14th and 27th, respectively.

At the Virginia Challenge, Madeline Pacella cleared a season-best-tying 1.75m to take fifth place. Pacella does not move up or down the East Region standings, but stays locked in a five-way tie for the 22nd spot.

Joan Jepkirui (16:38.57) and Caroline Lambert (16:40.36) both bested their top time of the season in the 5,000-meter run. Jepkirui now ranks fifth in the MAC, while Lambert sits in seventh.

"We're locking down more and more MAC qualifications and building up to the championships," stated Nguyen.

The Rockets next compete from Thursday, April 27 thru Saturday, April 29 at the Hillsdale GINA Relays.

Jesse Owens Classic
100m
19. Nautica Hill - 12.06
34. Tori Thompson - 12.55

200m
5. Nautica Hill - 24.32
23. Tori Thompson - 25.13
29. Kristiana Collins - 25.34

1500m
14. Janelle Noe - 4:33.63
21. Theresa Warsecke - 4:37.00

3000m Steeplechase
2. Athena Welsh - 10:26.96
4. Zita Molnar - 10:35.03
7. Olivia Chinn - 10:52.43

Pole Vault
10. Alexa Jarrett - 3.73m
17. Maddie Jarrett - 3.58m
22. Alissa Jenkins - NH

Long Jump
37. Deja Martin - 5.00m

Shot Put
2. Katie Dewey - 14.13m
8. Sally Frank - 12.89m

Discus
3. Katie Dewey - 44.46m
8. Anna Bellman - 42.06m
19. Sally Frank - 35.82m

Javelin
6. Anna Bellman - 37.85m


Virginia Challenge
1500m
39. Petronela Simiuc - 4:29.94

5000m
23. Joan Jepkirui - 16:38.57
24. Caroline Lambert - 16:40.36

10000m
10. Delainey Phelps - 35:18.78

400m Hurdles
10. Dandadeua da Silva - 1:01.91

3000m Steeplechase
23. Stephanie Barlow - 10:46.40

High Jump
5. Madeline Pacella - 1.75m

Triple Jump
9. Ty'Shai Freeman - 11.91m