Saalfeld places 2nd in high jump; ESU women still 8th at nationals
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Craig Saalfeld’s second-place finish in the high jump was the highlight for the Emporia State track and field team on Day Two of the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships on Friday in Walnut, Calif.
Saalfeld cleared 6 feet, 10 3/4 inches to earn his first outdoor All-America honor.
Teammates Alex Pyle and Dustin Andrews both cleared 6-6 3/4 to take 12th and 14th, respectively.
In preliminary events, ESU freshman Kenton Lonberger posted the second-fastest time in the 200-meter dash (21.25 seconds) to qualify for today’s finals.
Jonel Rossbach also qualified for the finals of the 5,000-meter run, placing ninth in the prelims (17:24.54).
Because her time was the third-best in her heat, she automatically moved to today’s 5,000-meter race, which will be the last event of her collegiate career.
Brooke Kent — the only other ESU athlete to compete on Friday — finished 21st in the 200-meter dash (25.90 seconds) and did not qualify for today’s finals.
ESU’s women continued to hold on to a top-ten spot in the team standings, as they sit in eighth place after seven events.
The Hornet men, meanwhile, are 11th after six events.
Other ESU athletes competing in today’s events are: Josh Honeycutt and Matt Koelling in the triple jump; Jennifer Robinson in the high jump; and Connie Philips in the javelin.