FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results

WHITEWATER, Wis. (Feb. 6, 2010)-- Rachel Secrest shattered the school record in the pole vault as the North Central College women's track and field team captured four events and finished fourth at the nine-team Warhawk Classic hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Kachel Fieldhouse.

Secrest cleared 13 feet 2 1/4 inches, bettering her automatic qualifying mark in the event and setting a new school record, breaking Megan Rossi's mark of 12'11 1/2" set back in 2007. Secrest would follow up that performance with a second place showing in the long jump after leaping 16'9 3/4". Teammate Meghan Court placed second in the pole vault, clearing 11'5 3/4".

Amanda Laesch captured the victory in the mile, finishing the eight-lap race in 5:12.90 while in the 55-meter hurdles, Brandye Jackson sprinted to the win, provisionally qualifying in the process after clocking a 8.52. The Cardinals fourth event win of the afternoon came in the final event of the meet as the 4x400-meter relay squad of Sheila Walsh, Kala Bingham, Sam Bunsen and Lauren Brightmore edged runner-up Loras College (Iowa) by over a three-second margin, crossing the tape in 4:04.23.

Brightmore additionally recorded a pair of top five finishes, placing fifth in the 55-meter dash (7.51) and third in the 200-meters (26.39).

In the triple jump, Annie Adamson finished third with a jump of 35'7 1/4" while Basheeba Mays finished fifth with a leap of 34'11 3/4". The Cardinals turned in a pair of fourth place finishes in the 4x200-meter (1:54.28) and distance medley (14:02.83) relays.

North Central racked up 97 points in the team tally, placing fourth among the nine-team field. Division II Winona State University (Minn.) won the meet, amassing 134.5 points with the University of Chicago finishing second (114.5). Augustana College was the lone other College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin institution at the meet, finishing a distant seventh with 34 points.

The Cardinals continue their road swing on Friday, February 12, making the short trek to Romeoville, Ill. for the Chicagoland Championships hosted by Lewis University.