The Indiana women’s track team had a lot on the line this weekend at the NCAA championship meet in College Station, Texas.
The distance medley relay team consisting of sophomoreTaylor Williams, junior Katherine Receveur, senior Olivia Hippensteel and junior Brenna Calder, who had the second fastest time in the nation, ran in the hopes of beating out No. 1 Oregon and become All-Americans by placing in the top eight spots of the 12 teams in the race. However, neither of that would be accomplished.
Calder put IU in a great spot after running her second-fastest opening leg, the first 1,200 meters of the race, and handing the baton over to Williams for the 400-meter leg. Hippensteel then ran the 800-meter leg to hand the baton over to Katherine Receveur to finish off the race with a mile left. Receveur was in second place behind Michigan when the baton was knocked out of her hand and onto the track. With the small amount of time separating all 12 teams in the race, IU was already in the back of the pack by the time the baton was picked up. The team finished ninth, missing the All American honor by one place.
Receveur ran again on Saturday at the NCAA championship in the 3,000-meter event. Receveur was able to finish in sixth place with a time of 9:12.61.
IU track and field has one weekend off from competition before starting the outdoor season in Tempe, Arizona for the Big Ten v. Pac-12 Challenge at Arizona State University.
Julia Briano
