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Diamond Rush placed fifth in the 200 meters. Photo by Aidan Ringiewicz.
Diamond Rush placed fifth in the 200 meters. Photo by Aidan Ringiewicz.
Posted: Jan 20, 2024

Point Park women compete at Ashland Invitational, Hillen qualifies for NAIA nationals in hurdles

Results

 

 

ASHLAND, Ohio -- Natalea Hillen qualifying for NAIA nationals with a school record in the 60-meter hurdles highlighted Point Park University women's indoor track and field at the Ashland (Ohio) University Invitational on Saturday. 

Hillen, a senior and a graduate of Peters Township High School, had a time of 8.97 seconds in the hurdles to punch her ticket to the NAIA national meet. That got inside the NAIA 'B' qualifying standard of 9.03 seconds and sent her to nationals for the second time in her career. She placed second at the Ashland meet for a school record. 

Hillen had three Top-10 finishes on the day as she was also eighth in the 400 meters (1:01.54) and eighth in the high jump (4 feet, 11.5 inches). She also led off the Pioneers' 4x400 relay squad that took sixth with a season-best time of 4:07. Also on the relay were Makayla Rice, Mya Greschner and Diamond Rush.

Rush, a transfer from Tennessee Tech, led Point Park in the 60 meters and 200 meters. She was fifth in the 200 meters running 25.86 seconds. Her time of 8.09 in the 60 was 15th. Other sprinters for Point Park were Emma Roemeer (8.29) and Rakeya Ellsberry (8.39) in the 60 meters, Ellsberry (28.76) in the 200 and Rice (1:03.3) in the 400. 

Point Park had seven competitors in the 800 led by Allison Plassio taking ninth place with a time of 2:22. Others for Point Park were Jana Schmid (2:29), Olivia Hare (2:31), Cassondra O'Connor (2:31), Corinne Lee-Hauser (2:34), Kiyara Sawyers (2:36) and Karen Rios (2:40).

Plassio also paced the Pioneers in the mile in ninth place running 5:14 ahead of Hare (5:29), Lee-Hauser (5:43) and Sawyers (5:46). 

Roemer continued to lead Point Park in the long and triple jump going 16 feet, 11.25 inches for eighth place in the long and 32 feet, 1.5 inches for ninth place in the triple. Luchama Lubin did all three jumps placing 11th in the triple, 14th in the high and 29th in the long. Greschner came in 16th in the long. 

Lina Single competed in the shot put with a distance of 29 feet, 4.75 feet and in the weight throw with a distance of 31 feet, 4 inches. 

Point Park will be at two meets next weekend. The Pioneers go to the Kent State Doug Raymond National Qualifier on Jan. 26 & 27 and to the Muskingum Meet #3 on Jan. 27.