Eastern Wayne Today

Wayne State University's women's outdoor track and field team is set to commence its 2024 season at the Cedarville Yellow Jacket Open this Saturday. Last year, the Warriors secured third place at the GLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, amassing 126 points, marking their second-highest score in program history.

The team faces challenges this season due to the graduation of athletes who contributed a total of 40 individual points. Among them were Makayla Sumrall, Izzy Taylor, Ashley Defrain, Teanna McCuaig, and Charlene Yarema. Despite these losses, head coach Grant Lofdahl remains optimistic as four out of five league titles from last year can still be defended by returning athletes Reagan Justice (10K), Thailyia Christensen (Steeplechase), Mikayla Williams (Triple Jump), and the 4x400m relay team comprising Elyse Miller, Renae Kutcha, Avery Wilson, and Makenzie Wellner.

Wilson also achieved a runner-up finish in the 400m dash last season and was part of the 4x100m relay with Miller and Mikaela Owen. Kutcha placed third in the 400m dash while Williams was third in the long jump.

Additional returning point scorers include Owen in the 200m dash (5th), Miller in the 400m dash (6th), Richelle Cotter in the Heptathlon (6th), Emily Gordon in the 800m run (7th), Briana Vojinov in the 5k (7th), Idalia Shadhaya in the Heptathlon (7th), Katherine Ray in Steeplechase (8th), and Kaleigh Flowers in Hammer throw (8th).

The upcoming Cedarville Yellow Jacket Open will feature morning field events for Wayne State starting with javelin and hammer at 10 a.m., followed by long jump at 12:30 p.m. The discus and high jump are scheduled for 1 p.m., shot put at 4 p.m., concluding with triple jump at 4:30 p.m. Running events begin with a women's 10K race at 10 a.m., followed by steeplechase, relays, sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, ending with a final relay event.

On April 6th, Wayne State will compete at Oakland Golden Grizzlies Invitational. Select athletes will participate in California's Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational from April 11-13 and Long Beach State Beach Invite on April 12-13. The Elaine Leigh Invitational follows on April 19-20 back at Oakland University.

Wayne State concludes its pre-championship schedule with Concordia's Alumni Legacy Meet on April 26-27 before heading to Grand Valley State University for GLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships from May 1st through May3rd. The NCAA Championships are slated for May23-25 in Emporia,Kansas.