Knoche, Grandon lead St. Ambrose at NAIA Outdoor Championships
St. Ambrose closed its outdoor season with a strong showing at the NAIA Track & Field Championships at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.
The Bees got off to a fast start Wednesday on the first day of competition.
Kaitlyn Knoche qualified for the finals in the women's 3000m steeplechase by placing sixth in the prelims with a time of 11:13.78. Friday, she narrowly missed a top-10 finish. Her time of 11:14.20 in the finals was good for 11th overall.
Another near miss came in the men's 800m Thursday. Dylan Grandon posted the ninth-fastest time in the prelims, finishing in 1:52.55. But with the top two times of each of the three heats guaranteed a spot in the finals, Grandon's fourth-place effort in his heat ultimately left him out of the nine-man final.
Along with Knoche's steeplechase prelim, Wednesday was a busy day for the Bees.
Ben Wilson finished 15th in the men's 400m hurdles in 54.10 seconds.
SAU also had two throwers compete on the first day. Brandt Williams placed 17th in the javelin with a throw of 55.19 meters. Joe Reinhart was 21st in the hammer throw with a mark of 51.55 meters.
Thursday, Wilson and Grandon were joined by Jackson Baedke and Charles Huesmann to take 12th place in the 4x400m relay. Their time was 3:15.74.
Brianna Neumiller also competed for St. Ambrose in the discus.
SAU results
Men's hammer throw
21st Joe Reinhart, 51.55m
Men's javelin
17th Brandt Williams, 55.19m
Men's 400m hurdles
15th Ben Wilson, 54.10
Women's 3000m steeplechase
11th Kaitlyn Knoche, 11:14.20 (6th in prelims, 11:13.78)
Men's 800m
9th Dylan Grandon, 1:52.55
Men's 4x400m relay
12th Ben Wilson, Jackson Baedke, Charles Huesmann, Dylan Grandon, 3:15.74
Women's discus
Brianna Neumiller