Studnicki, Gamble Hit National Standards at Indiana Tech

FORT WANYE, Ind. – The Taylor women's track and field team traveled to the Indiana Tech Invitational for a unique Monday meet. Despite chilly and rainy conditions, the Trojans had some standout performances. Brooke Studnicki and Mollie Gamble shined for the Purple and Gold, as the distance duo qualified for NAIA Nationals in three events.

Studnicki led the Taylor squad in the 1,500-meters, as she claimed fourth place overall with a lifetime-best mark of 4:37.93. With that time, the junior hit the NAIA B-standard and moved to No. 3 on the TU top-10 list. Corinne O'Leary turned in a 10th-place finish, clocking a time of 4:49.31. Emma Muterspaw grabbed 11th-place with a career-best time of 4:57.89.

In less than an hour later, Studnicki returned to the track to compete in the 800-meters. She continued her successful day by finishing second place with another B-standard in a time of 2:15.90.

After landing as the USTFCCCA Event Squad Leaders last week, the Taylor steeplechase crew posted another impressive day as four ladies finished in the top-seven. Mollie Gamble ended in second place with a time of 11:19.45, hitting the NAIA B-standard in the event. Freshmen Audrey Brinkruff, Elayna Kitt and Lynae Ackley recorded new personal-best times, as Brinkruff finished third (11:35.71), Kitt claimed fourth (11:36.77) and Ackley ended in seventh (11:51.49).

Junior Madeline Purdom ran an impressive 5,000-meter race under the lights. In a highly competitive 5k field, Purdom battled to second place, recording a career-best time of 18:25.72. Purdom landed the ninth-fastest 5k time in in TU history.

The Taylor 4x100-meter relay team of Ashley Hall, Eden Siples, Audrey Altum and Patience Sakeuh claimed eighth place overall with a time of 48.65.

Sakeuh also recorded a sixth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 5.50-meters and an eighth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles. The sophomore clocked a time of 14.68.

Eden Siples added a 10th-place finish and season-PR in the 400-meters, logging a time of 59.35.

The Taylor team will split between three meets on Thursday, April 14. A few athletes will travel to California to compete at the Mt. Sac Relays and the Bryan Clay Invitational, while a handful of Trojans will stay in Indiana to perform at the Huntington Invite.