INDIANAPOLIS – Cedarville and Walsh claimed a part of the second set of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week honors as announced on Tuesday.
 
More outdoor records fell during the last weekend of competition as teams went to the Emory Invitational in Georgia, Vanderbilt Black & Gold in Tennessee, Cal U Early Bird in Pennsylvania and the Charleston Relays & Alumni Invitational in West Virginia.
 
The 10K, 400-meter hurdles (Carmen Botha – Hillsdale), 4x400-meter relay (Hillsdale), pole vault and triple jump (Chloe Ohlgren – Hillsdale) records were all broken.
 
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Alaina Spears
Cedarville
Senior
Distance
Frazeysburg, OH (Tri-Valley HS)
 
Spears shattered the 10K record at the Emory Invitational with a provisional-qualifying time of 36:31.85. She currently ranks second in the country among three individuals who have hit the qualifying standards in the outdoor season.
 
Spears clipped the record previously held by Malone’s NCAA qualifier Hannah Thompson in the spring of 2017 at the Bison Invite.
 
Spears also holds the conference championship outdoor meet record in the 10K distance, a time that ranks seventh-best in Great Midwest history.
 
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Kaitlyn Barber
Walsh
Senior
Pole Vault
Toledo, OH (Whitmer HS)
 
After earning NCAA All-American honors during the indoor campaign, Barber is now the record holder for outdoor track & field season in the pole vault.
 
Barber cleared 3.75m (12’3.5”) for a provisional qualifying height at the Cal U Early Bird. She now ranks fourth nationally in DII as 11 individuals have recorded provisional qualifying marks.
 
Barber was the Great Midwest indoor champion in the event and went on to finish fourth at the NCAA DII Championships in Pittsburg, Kan. Her top height was 3.92m (12’10.25”)