Fadden Sets Record in 10K
(Selinsgrove,
Pa.)—Kaitlin Fadden broke a nine-year-old Houghton College
record in the 10,000-meter race to top several strong
performances—four athletes set personal records while winning
two races and finishing second in three others—as the
Highlanders opened their outdoor track season at the James
Taylor Invitational at Susquehanna University.
Fadden’s 37:52.04 placed her second overall in the race
and also automatically qualified her for the National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) national
championships. “I just felt really good today,” the sophomore
runner told her coaches.
“Fadden has accomplished something which is monumental,
in my eyes,” said Bob Smalley, head coach for the track and
field teams, “We knew that Kaity had a great deal of potential,
but she is running on a level that puts her in elite
company. She is very fit, but, more importantly, she is
beginning to learn to run through the pain, which is often what
separates the elites from the ‘good runners.’”
Other performances of note included Naomi Christensen’s winning
the 400M in 58.97. Christensen was part of the women’s 4 X 400M
relay that won its race, as well, with a time of 4:08.70. The
other members of that team were Darby Emerson, Carolynn
Tomlinson and Lydia Parsons.
Parsons and Christensen also teamed up with Bethany Christensen
(Naomi’s sister) and Sarah Whipple for the women’s 4 X 100M
relay, taking second in 52.07.
Darby Emerson took a second in one of her races as well,
running a 2:19.98 in the 800M.
Angela Smalley set two personal marks in throws, sending the
javelin 77'8" and the hammer 101’2”. Her hammer throw was good
enough for third place in that event.
Bruce Mourhess also had a personal best of 19'½" in the
long jump.
Fadden’s performance, though, was what Coach Smalley was talking
about after the meet. He noted that the record Fadden broke had
been set by Krista Ruth, who was a five-time NAIA All-American
and said “Keep your eyes on Kaity—this was just the first
outdoor meet of the year.”
The Highlanders will be back in action Saturday, at the
Jack Hazen Invitational at Malone College in North Canton, Ohio.
