Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, December 8
Allendale, MI
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
at
GVSU Holiday Open
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Top 3 Finishes from Korytkowski, Bennett Highlight CMU at GVSU Holiday Open
12/8/2023 9:30:00 PM | Track & Field
Personal bests all around for the Chippewas in last meet of 2023
ALLENDALE, Mich. — Two top three finishes and a whole lot of personal bests.
As Central Michigan Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Jenny Swieton says it best, it was "a good day."
CMU track and field wrapped up the 2023 leg of the indoor season on Friday at the GVSU Holiday Open, where the Chippewas competed in eight events. Over 20 institutions across all three NCAA Divisions, the NAIA, and the NCCAA participated. No team scores were recorded.
"It was so much fun to be at the track as a team," Swieton said. "It is a good chance to see where we are at, what is going well and what we need to work on."
Annie Bennett and Payton Korytkowski took home top 3 finishes in their respective events; Bennett placed 3rd in her heat of the 5000m run, shattering her personal best by 49 seconds in a time of 18:10.15. Korytkowski finished 3rd in both the preliminary and the final for the 60 meter hurdles. The Rockford junior bested her preliminary time of 9.00 in the finals, finishing in 8.94.
The Chippewas started on a high note with the 5000m, where alongside Bennett, Elle Himebaugh and Kate Jenkins competed in their respective heats. Jenkins
placed 12th of 27th in her race with a personal best time of 17:39.80 (prev. 18:05.67).
The 60 meter hurdle and 60 meter dash preliminaries followed; Kaitlynn Rush sprinted the 60 meters in 8.06 and in her first collegiate meet, Sky Austin finished in 8.22.
Chesney Wilke and Amelia Gouin ran the 1 mile for the Chippewas. Wilke, a freshman, recorded a personal best time of 5:08.53 and finished 16th of 48.
Annie Laurenz took sixth place in the 400 meter dash, finishing in a personal-record time of 58.24. Shortly behind were Chippewa freshman Robyn Watts and senior Jaci Rife.
In her first meet in the Maroon and Gold, Ericka Bigham placed seventh in the 800 meter run in a personal-best 2:17.59. Emma Fountain placed eighth, followed by Libby Munderloh (13th) and Grace Jenkins (18th).
Payton Sabourin, also her first go-around in Maroon and Gold, ran her second-best time in the 200m dash (25.06, PR 24.98) to place seventh. Austin, Anna Plum and Sophia Garland also competed in the event.
Three CMU relay teams took on the 4x400 to close out the day. Sabourin, Laurenz, Korytkowski and Bigham took fifth in 3:55.27. Rife, Munderloh, Grace Jenkins and Fountain were 10th, followed by Watts, Gouin, Wilke and Plum in 11th.
The Chippewas are to pick the indoor season back up in 2024, where they'll ring in the New Year at Michigan's Wolverine Invitational on Jan. 13.
As Central Michigan Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Jenny Swieton says it best, it was "a good day."
CMU track and field wrapped up the 2023 leg of the indoor season on Friday at the GVSU Holiday Open, where the Chippewas competed in eight events. Over 20 institutions across all three NCAA Divisions, the NAIA, and the NCCAA participated. No team scores were recorded.
"It was so much fun to be at the track as a team," Swieton said. "It is a good chance to see where we are at, what is going well and what we need to work on."
Annie Bennett and Payton Korytkowski took home top 3 finishes in their respective events; Bennett placed 3rd in her heat of the 5000m run, shattering her personal best by 49 seconds in a time of 18:10.15. Korytkowski finished 3rd in both the preliminary and the final for the 60 meter hurdles. The Rockford junior bested her preliminary time of 9.00 in the finals, finishing in 8.94.
The Chippewas started on a high note with the 5000m, where alongside Bennett, Elle Himebaugh and Kate Jenkins competed in their respective heats. Jenkins
placed 12th of 27th in her race with a personal best time of 17:39.80 (prev. 18:05.67).
The 60 meter hurdle and 60 meter dash preliminaries followed; Kaitlynn Rush sprinted the 60 meters in 8.06 and in her first collegiate meet, Sky Austin finished in 8.22.
Chesney Wilke and Amelia Gouin ran the 1 mile for the Chippewas. Wilke, a freshman, recorded a personal best time of 5:08.53 and finished 16th of 48.
Annie Laurenz took sixth place in the 400 meter dash, finishing in a personal-record time of 58.24. Shortly behind were Chippewa freshman Robyn Watts and senior Jaci Rife.
In her first meet in the Maroon and Gold, Ericka Bigham placed seventh in the 800 meter run in a personal-best 2:17.59. Emma Fountain placed eighth, followed by Libby Munderloh (13th) and Grace Jenkins (18th).
Payton Sabourin, also her first go-around in Maroon and Gold, ran her second-best time in the 200m dash (25.06, PR 24.98) to place seventh. Austin, Anna Plum and Sophia Garland also competed in the event.
Three CMU relay teams took on the 4x400 to close out the day. Sabourin, Laurenz, Korytkowski and Bigham took fifth in 3:55.27. Rife, Munderloh, Grace Jenkins and Fountain were 10th, followed by Watts, Gouin, Wilke and Plum in 11th.
The Chippewas are to pick the indoor season back up in 2024, where they'll ring in the New Year at Michigan's Wolverine Invitational on Jan. 13.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
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Mid-Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Hurdles
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Distance
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Sprints
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Sprints
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