Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, February 3
South Bend, Ind.
11 a.m.
Central Michigan University
at
Meyo Invitational
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Turner, Newcombe Run Program Top-10s on Final Day at Notre Dame
2/3/2024 3:59:00 PM | Track & Field
Anya Turner and Natalie Newcombe ran 4th and 5th best program times in the indoor 3000m on Saturday.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Three program top-10 marks in three weeks for Central Michigan.
The wait was worth it for Anya Turner and Natalie Newcombe on Saturday, who each only ran in one event across the two-day Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame.
The second-to-last event of the meet, the 3000m Invitational, pulled the 4th and 5th best times in CMU Indoor history.
"Anya and Natalie continued their lights out season with another big performance," said Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Jenny Swieton. "It was so good to see. They worked together and hit personal bests by nearly 30 seconds."
Turner, who ran the 3rd-best indoor 800m on Jan. 27 and 3rd-best indoor mile on Jan. 20, finished 7th in the race with a time of 9:36.45. It was a 24 second PR for the redshirt senior.
Newcombe, who ran the 4th-best indoor mile on Jan. 20, was close behind with a time of 9:37.10 and was good for 8th place. The redshirt junior shattered her old personal best by 33 seconds.
The pair join Emily Paupore on the Indoor 3000m Top 10 list, who left the 3rd place mark on Jan. 27 at Michigan.
Plenty more Chippewa track and field student-athletes saw personal bests and breakthroughs on Saturday, as CMU competed in the weight throw open, 3000m open, mile open, 60m dash finals, 60m hurdles, 400m open and 800m open.
"We had some really great performances this weekend," said Swieton. "Payton Sabourin tied her personal best in the 200 (on Friday), and Peyton Korytkowski made the finals in the 60-meter hurdles and made another huge step forward. We had some great distance medley relay legs on Friday, the ladies fought hard, and Annie Bennett had a huge PR in the 5000."
Korytkowski, who qualified for the 60m dash finals on Friday, also qualified for the 60m hurdle finals. She placed 5th in the 60m hurdle finals with a time of 8.68, just 0.02 seconds from tying her personal best.
Ericka Bigham ran a personal-best 2:14.06 in the 800m in what Swieton called a "breakthrough race" for the redshirt junior. She finished 15th in the race.
Following Bigham in the 800m were Chesney Wilke (22nd) and Libby Munderloh (32nd). Wilke, a freshman, achieved a personal best.
Emma Fountain was the lone Maroon and Gold representation in the 400m, where she finished 23rd in 58.30. Jessie Gibbins, also the only CMU runner in the 3000m Open, finished 18th.
Maya Guikema, Emma Janesak and Kate Jenkins ran the mile. Guikema, a freshman, placed 28th of 44 in a personal-best time of 5:07.83.
In the field events, Emily McLean was 22nd in the Adam Beltran Weight Throw Open with a throw of 14.94m.
"Our team is at its best when we are working together and supporting each other," said Swieton. "We did a great job at that this weekend."
CMU looks onward to the Grand Valley State University Big Meet, a two-day event comprised of two separate meets, on Feb. 9 and 10. Additionally, CMU will have representation in the Boston University Valentine Meet on Feb. 10.
The wait was worth it for Anya Turner and Natalie Newcombe on Saturday, who each only ran in one event across the two-day Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame.
The second-to-last event of the meet, the 3000m Invitational, pulled the 4th and 5th best times in CMU Indoor history.
"Anya and Natalie continued their lights out season with another big performance," said Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Jenny Swieton. "It was so good to see. They worked together and hit personal bests by nearly 30 seconds."
Turner, who ran the 3rd-best indoor 800m on Jan. 27 and 3rd-best indoor mile on Jan. 20, finished 7th in the race with a time of 9:36.45. It was a 24 second PR for the redshirt senior.
Newcombe, who ran the 4th-best indoor mile on Jan. 20, was close behind with a time of 9:37.10 and was good for 8th place. The redshirt junior shattered her old personal best by 33 seconds.
The pair join Emily Paupore on the Indoor 3000m Top 10 list, who left the 3rd place mark on Jan. 27 at Michigan.
Plenty more Chippewa track and field student-athletes saw personal bests and breakthroughs on Saturday, as CMU competed in the weight throw open, 3000m open, mile open, 60m dash finals, 60m hurdles, 400m open and 800m open.
"We had some really great performances this weekend," said Swieton. "Payton Sabourin tied her personal best in the 200 (on Friday), and Peyton Korytkowski made the finals in the 60-meter hurdles and made another huge step forward. We had some great distance medley relay legs on Friday, the ladies fought hard, and Annie Bennett had a huge PR in the 5000."
Korytkowski, who qualified for the 60m dash finals on Friday, also qualified for the 60m hurdle finals. She placed 5th in the 60m hurdle finals with a time of 8.68, just 0.02 seconds from tying her personal best.
Ericka Bigham ran a personal-best 2:14.06 in the 800m in what Swieton called a "breakthrough race" for the redshirt junior. She finished 15th in the race.
Following Bigham in the 800m were Chesney Wilke (22nd) and Libby Munderloh (32nd). Wilke, a freshman, achieved a personal best.
Emma Fountain was the lone Maroon and Gold representation in the 400m, where she finished 23rd in 58.30. Jessie Gibbins, also the only CMU runner in the 3000m Open, finished 18th.
Maya Guikema, Emma Janesak and Kate Jenkins ran the mile. Guikema, a freshman, placed 28th of 44 in a personal-best time of 5:07.83.
In the field events, Emily McLean was 22nd in the Adam Beltran Weight Throw Open with a throw of 14.94m.
"Our team is at its best when we are working together and supporting each other," said Swieton. "We did a great job at that this weekend."
CMU looks onward to the Grand Valley State University Big Meet, a two-day event comprised of two separate meets, on Feb. 9 and 10. Additionally, CMU will have representation in the Boston University Valentine Meet on Feb. 10.
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