Evans wins 5,000 meter run event; Elick, Wamsley add in top-five finishes at Otterbein Twilight

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- In an event that didn't conclude until the early hours of Saturday morning (12:40 a.m.), the women's track and field program at Shawnee State had 14 athletes battle through the course of the meet to post strong results, with Kirsten Evans winning her section of the 5,000 meter run and Jessica Elick and Haidyn Wamsley pulling top-five finishes for Conner Flynn's women's track and field program at Memorial Stadium in Westerville.

Evans, who ran a personal best time of 19:11.01 in the event, would've finished inside the top-10 in the fast heat as her time put the junior in a competitive spot -- while Wamsley, who competed in her first event after missing time due to injury, jumped five feet, one inch in her opening event of the outdoor season to finish fourth.

Jessica Elick's third place finish in the one mile and 25th place in the 800 meter run, along with Sydney Reed's ninth in the same 5,000 meter run heat that Evans competed in, rounded out the main list of competitors for the women's track and field program at Otterbein.

"For the women, it was great to see Haidyn Wamsley back on the track after a long break," Flynn, the Director of Shawnee State Cross Country and Track and Field at Shawnee State, said. "I am confident she will be ready for conference. Kirsten Evans also had a big day. In her first ever track 5,000 meter, to get the heat win and run 19:11 is very impressive. I'm excited to see where she goes from here."

Additional

The remainder of the finishers for the Shawnee State women's track and field program are as follows:

Amanda Salmons, 21st; Natalie Brammer, 34th

Beth Middleton -- 16th, 5,000 meter run (fast heat)

Ivy Gentry -- 22nd, long jump; 36th, 100 meter dash

Ali Taylor -- 18th, 100 meter hurdles

Olivia Newman -- 20th; Tashawna Young -- 22nd; Marli Marcum -- 25th, shot put

Alexis Sudderth -- 19th; Olivia Newman -- 22nd; Tashawna Young -- 26th, discus

Jaina Bailey -- 14th; Alexis Sudderth -- 21st; Tashawna Young -- 22nd, hammer

Marli Marcum -- 13th, javelin

The women's track and field program will be back in action Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 when the Bears compete at the two-day River States Conference Championship Meet, which will be held at Rio Grande.