Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, tkgallisath@noctrl.edu

Apr. 29, 2023 - The North Central College women's track and field team took advantage of the Elmhurst University Invitational hosted at Wheaton College's McCully Stadium as the Cardinals turned in seven first-place performances to finish second by half a point.

Lindsey Novak completed the 200-meter dash in a personal best effort of 24.34 seconds to notch a first-place finish. Novak's time broke a 26-year-old program record for the outdoor 200-meter dash previously held by Lakeya Boatright. Her time is also fourth-best in the national rankings.

Cali Minkie turned in a personal best of 57.76 seconds to win the 400-meter dash and moved into the program's all-time list at No. 7. Julia Babinec won both the 100-meter hurdles (14.25) and 400-meter hurdles (1:05.27). 

The 4-by-400-meter relay quartet of Novak, Faith Ladin, Minkie, and Denise Partee finished first in the event with a season-best time of four minutes, 1.06 seconds. Ladin also won the javelin throw with a toss of 127 feet and four inches (38.82 meters) and took third in the long jump (16'10.75", 5.15m). Alexandra Draves won the hammer throw with a 173-foot, five-inch toss (52.87m).

Natalie Johnson's 11 feet, 7.75 inches was good for a second-place finish in the pole vault while Hannah Jones claimed a second-place finish in the javelin throw (123'2", 37.54m) before finishing third in the 400-meter hurdles behind Babinec (1:08.97). Also turning in third-place finishes was Marcedes Jackson in the 100-meter dash (12.16), Partee in the 100-meter hurdles (14.38), Amanda Melton in the discus throw (124'6", 37.94m), and the 4-by-100 meter relay of Jackson, Novak, Babinec, and Minkie (48.41).

North Central begins preparing for the CCIW Championship meet on Friday and Saturday, May 5-6. This year's championship is being hosted by Carroll University at the Dennis Punches Track & Field in Waukesha, Wisconsin. 

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