Success
Christie Nurkowski competes in the steeple chase.
By Chris Miller | Staff Writer
The University of Indianapolis men’s and women’s track and field teams will enter two more meets before competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in May.
The teams competed in the Indiana Invitational on April 17, but results were not available as of The Reflector press time.
On April 14, sophomore Seth Galloway and senior Andrea Horban were named GLVC Field Athletes of the Week. Horban received this honor when she broke the Indiana Stadium record April 11 for the women’s shot-put event. This is Horban’s second Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week Award. Galloway earned the award for GLVC Field Athlete of the Week when he won the javelin event also at the Indiana Stadium.
At the Little State meet at Indiana Wesleyan University on April 11, the women’s team took its 15th consecutive first-place title. The women proved their dominance, boasting third place or better 15 times, with six first-place finishes. The senior women were leaders in the charge, involved in all the top finishes. Senior Nichelle Curtis took first place in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the 4×100 meter relay with freshman Shanese McGregor, junior Shannon Smith and senior Ashley DeVries.
“I was nervous, and I really wanted to win. It [Little State] is a big deal to the women’s team, since we have won it for the past several years,” Curtis said. “I am really, really proud of the team. Everyone stepped up.”
Curtis also was named Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
“I really have to thank [assistant coach Giles] Davis for training me and pushing me to go to nationals,” Curtis said. “He is the reason for my success.”
Off the track, Horban and senior Amy Schmitz dominated the shotput and hammer throw competitions finishing first and bringing two more crowns to UIndy. Horban commanded the women’s shotput, finishing more than a meter ahead of second place with a 14.06-meter throw. Schmitz hammered her competitors, finishing first and throwing nearly two meters further than the runner-up with a 54.76-meter toss. Schmitz accompanied Curtis in honors, being named Women’s Field Athlete of the Year.
The men’s team finished in second place; with two first-place finishes by senior Freddie Helm in the 100-meter dash. The 4×100 meter relay team also took first—consisting of Helm along with sophomores Kyle Thompson and Carl Smith and senior Anthony Flournoy.
Senior Scott Knust took second place in the pole vault, while sophomore Craig Myers, senior Willie Little and senior Sam Elmore placed second, third and fourth in hammer throw. Senior Grant Dean took second in the long jump.
“It is going to be a sad time when track comes to a close,” said senior Emily Schaf. “I imagine we will all share the same feelings, closing one chapter and beginning another, moving on. Though part of it will be happy, I know it will just be sad.”
