(LEBANON, Ill., May 1)—The McKendree University women's track and field team earned a second-place finish at the 2011 American Midwest Conference Championships, which concluded Saturday.
The Bearcats captured 12 top-three finishes in the event, including four individual titles and a relay championship, in the three-day meet that began with throwing events on Thursday at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. The final two days of events were held at McKendree's Leemon Field.
Hannibal-LaGrange University won its first-ever AMC women's track and field title, ending the Bearcats' three-year reign as conference champs. The Trojans won the meet by scoring 175 points, topping McKendree's 155 points. William Woods University finished third with 145 points.
Sophomore Kim Spencer (Pinckneyville, Ill./Pinckneyville) won two different events for the Bearcats at the AMC Championships. Spencer claimed titles in both the 100-meter (12.19 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (25.89 seconds). Freshman Tiara Williams (St. Louis, MO/Hazelwood West) (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood West) captured top honors in the long jump with a distance of 16 feet, one-quarter of an inch. Sophomore Nadia Moore (Cahokia, IL/Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) earned the other individual crown for McKendree with a distance of 37 feet, 2 ¼ inches in the triple jump.
The Bearcats also won the women's 4 x 100-meter relay in a time of 49.34 seconds. McKendree placed second in the 4 x 800-meter relay at 10:32.35, while taking third in the 4 x 400-meter with an effort of 4:02.12.
Freshman LaTia Jefferson (Belleville, IL/Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) took second place in two different events for McKendree. She was the runner-up in the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, 11 ¾ inches. Jefferson also grabbed second in the triple jump at 35 feet, four inches.
Freshman Megan Doty (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Troy, Ill./Triad) took second place in the 10,000-meter run for McKendree with a time of 41:46.14. In addition to her title in the long jump, Tiara Williams (St. Louis, MO/Hazelwood West) had a second-place showing in the 100-meter hurdles, registering a time of 17.52 seconds. Junior Kayla Fowler (Swansea, IL/Belleville East) (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) also had a runner-up finish for the Bearcats in the 400-meter hurdles. Fowler was clocked in a time of 1:10.13.
Nadia Moore (Cahokia, IL/Cahokia) placed third in the high jump, clearing a height of five feet, three inches. Sophomore Jeanna Gwynn-Williams (St. Louis, MO/Hazelwood West) (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood West) took third in the shot put with a toss of 35 feet, 9 ¼ inches, while junior Lauren Richter (Mascoutah, IL/Mascoutah) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) earned third place in the javelin with a throw of 99 feet, three inches.
The Bearcats will return to action May 13 at the Louisville Twilight Open in Louisville, Ky.
