Emporia State’s Jonel Rossbach became double the All-American on Saturday, taking fourth place in the mile run to earn All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston, Mass.
The junior also earned All-American honors as a cross country runner in the fall.
The Omaha, Neb., native earned her distinction in style.
Rossbach’s time of 4:50.65 broke the previous school record, beating Kadri Kelve’s 2003 mark of 4:52.24 by nearly two seconds.
Trent Olivier was the only other Hornet competing on Saturday, taking 13th in the shot put.
On Friday, Eric Wellman took 13th in the men’s mile, while Dustin Andrews placed 10th in the high jump. He was one of only two freshmen in the top 12 of the event.
Andrews, who also is on the ESU basketball team, played nine minutes in the Hornets’ 79-66 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma State Saturday. The Lee’s Summit, Mo., product flew from Boston to Missouri immediately after competing in the high jump Friday.
ESU will open the outdoor track and field season at 1 p.m. Thursday, playing host to the Mike’s Sporting Goods Spring Twilight at Witten Track in Welch Stadium.
ESU softball perfect
in St. Edward’s Classic
The No. 6 Emporia State softball team posted two more victories on Saturday to finish the weekend 5-0 at the St. Edward’s Hilltopper Classic in Austin, Texas.
The Hornets defeated Baker, 9-0, before taking a 10-2 victory over New Mexico Highlands.
In the first game, ESU’s Samantha Sheeley and Megan Grisell combined on a five-hit shutout.
The Hornets took a 5-0 first-inning lead, helped along by a two-run single from Megan Davison and a three-RBI double from Courtney Stevens.
Both Stevens and Chelsea McClernon led ESU with a pair of hits each.
In the second game, Courtney Reed and Jenna Potter combined for the Hornets’ second no-hitter of the weekend.
Reed also threw a no-hitter in ESU’s 2-0 victory over St. Mary’s on Friday.
New Mexico Highlands was still able to push across a pair of runs in the fourth, scoring two after taking advantage of three walks and two wild pitches.
McClernon, Jessie Wiard, Morgan Viola, April Huddleston and Laura Pfautsch all contributed two hits each in ESU’s 14-hit attack. McClernon also added a home run.
The Hornets (13-6) play their home opener at 2 p.m. Thursday, taking on Minn.-Crookston at the Trusler Sports Complex.
St. Edwards Tournament
Saturday at Austin, Texas
Game One
ESU 9, Baker 0
Baker 000 00 — 0 5 2
Emporia State 513 0X — 9 7 1
W — Sheeley. L — Nelson.
E — Baker: Dugan; Cody; ESU: Wiard. DP — BU 1. LOB — BU 5; ESU 5. 2B — ESU: McClernon; Stevens 2. HBP — ESU: Viola. SH — ESU: Wiard. SB — ESU: Campbell; Dace. CS — Baker: Marinari.
Game Two
ESU 10, N.M. Highlands 2
Emporia State 140 23 — 10 14 0
N.M. Highlands 000 20 — 2 0 2
W — Reed. L — Trione.
E — NMHU: Nelson; Reyes. LOB — ESU 4; NMHU 2. 2B — ESU: McClernon; Viola; Pfautsch. HR — ESU: McClernon; Pendry. HBP — NMHU: Reyes. SB — ESU: Wiard 2; Viola 2.
ESU tennis flawless in pair of home matches
It couldn’t have been any more successful of a weekend for the Emporia State tennis teams, as both the men and women took shutout victories over Newman and Winona State.
In a combined 33 singles and doubles matches, the Hornets won all 33 they played in.
The No. 35 ESU women defeated Newman, 9-0, on Friday before taking down Winona State, 9-0, on Saturday.
The men shut out Newman, 6-0, and Winona State, 9-0.
The teams will be back in action Friday, taking on Johnson County Community College in Overland Park.