Switzer Sets Record, DC Places Fourth at Fred Wilt Memorial

ANDERSON, Ind. – The women's track and field team finished fourth at the Fred Wilt Memorial Invitational on Saturday, earning 59.5 points to outpace HCAC rivals, Anderson, Franklin, Earlham and Mount St. Joseph. Kaitlin Switzer highlighted the meet with a school-record 1,000-meter run performance.

Switzer's time of 3:15.61 marks a 1.20-second improvement over the previous school record in the 1,000-meter run, which Switzer set during the 2008 season. The performance ranks third among all athletes in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference this season. DC's Ericha Griep finished sixth at the meet with a time of 3:30.10, ranking fourth on DCs' all-time performances list and fourth in the conference this year.

Courtney Swabb led DC's sprinters with season-best times in both the 55-meter and 200-meter dash. She ran the 55-meter dash in 8.05 seconds to claim a top-10 spot in the HCAC standings this season, and finished the 200 in 29.04 seconds for the tenth-fastest performance in school history.

Katie Heitkamp continued her break-out season in the pole vault, taking first place at the meet with a mark of 9-06.25 (2.90 meters). Emily Cole placed third at the event, clearing 8-06.25 (2.60 meters) to give Defiance two of the top-three spots at the meet.

Ashlyn Howell posted her best triple jump performance of the season with a leap of 33-02.00 (10.11 meters), coming less than a foot away from the school record for the event. The sophomore also finished third in the long jump with a mark of 15-09.00 (4.80 meters).

The track and field team will compete in the North Central Last Chance Qualifier on Friday, March 4, in Naperville, Ill. The meet is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.