Women's team earns national ranking

INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson women's track & field team made its debut in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Top 25 poll with a No. 16 ranking, as announced Thursday.

Illinois Wesleyan held the No. 1 spot, followed by Roanoke and Calvin.

Previously just outside the top 25 at No. 30, the Storm jumped 14 spots, one place in front of No. 17 Wartburg. Loras dropped seven spots to No. 18.

Thus far, Simpson student-athletes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in three events. Catie Ellingson (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) reached a provisional mark in the 1500-meter run, Lauren Bucklin (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) provisionally qualified in the 100-meter hurdles and Kinsey Bak (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) did so in the high jump.

Having already provisionally qualified in the event, Bucklin bettered her standing after she ran a season-best time of 14.34 in the 100 hurdles last weekend at the Jim Duncan Invitational. Her time was only 0.04 seconds away from automatic qualification for the national meet and stands as the third-best time in the nation.

Ellingson joined Simpson's list of provisional qualifiers last weekend, clipping off a 4:34.02 in the 1500-meter run at the Jim Duncan Invitational. Hers is the fifth-best time in the nation.

Fresh off a third-place showing in the high jump at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, Bak acquired provisional status for the outdoor event only a week later. Bak leapt 5-5 ¾ at the season-opening Rhodes Invitational, tying her for the No. 4 height in the country.

The Simpson track and field teams will be in action this weekend when they travel to Grinnell's Dick Young Invitational, which takes place at Les Duke Track Saturday, April 17.