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                      Houghton Track and Field Teams Find Success at Kane Open

(Cornell, N.Y.)—The Houghton College track and field teams found their stride at the Kane Open at Cornell University over the weekend. Five Highlander athletes achieved automatic qualification for the 2007 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Indoor Track & Field Championships and a Houghton runner won the prestigious mile race.

The women’s team had four automatic qualifiers. Naomi Christensen (Houghton, NY/ Houghton Academy) qualified in the 600m with a time of 1:37.65. This was also a record-breaking performance, re-writing a 12-year-old Houghton College mark.

Darby Emerson (Windsor, Colo./Windsor) qualified for nationals in the 800, finishing fifth with a time of 2:19.17.

Chelsea Adams (Cameron, N.Y./ Haverling) and Rachel Rhodes (Little Valley, N.Y./Cattaraugus-Little Valley High) each qualified in the 3K race walk, Adams with a time of 17:00.44 and Rhodes with a time of 16:33.38. Rhodes shaved a minute off her Houghton College record, set last season.

Other results for the women’s team included Kaitlin Fadden (Hyde Park, N.Y./FDR High School)—who had qualified for nationals in the 5000 and set a school record earlier in the season—finishing fourth in that race with a time of 18:18.25, improving on her record time.

The women’s 4x400 relay missed the automatic qualification mark for nationals by 0.16 seconds, finishing third with a time of 4:04.66.

The men’s team secured its first automatic qualifier this year when Zach Adams (Wellsboro, Pa./ Wellsboro), finished first in the 3k race walk with a time of 15:56.51.

Dan Ballard (Syracuse, N.Y./Faith Heritage Academy) won the mile with a time of 4:21.30.

The Houghton track and field teams will compete next at the DeNault Invitational at Cornell University on Saturday, February 23.

Photo: Naomi Christensen breaks the Houghton College record in the 600.