Waldorf hosts first track meet since 2016, while adding numerous records
By Zach Throne
For the first time since the NSAA Championships back in 2016, Waldorf University hosted an outdoor track and field meet.
With that fact alone, Waldorf had a successful day, but the athletes added to the success with their performances on the day in the Forest City.
Wade Baker had a strong end to the indoor season, and he continued his roll by breaking two Waldorf records: shot put and discus. He won the shot put event with a throw of 43 feet, 1 inch to beat the previous record by almost two feet.
He finished second place in the discus event with a throw of 136-feet even, besting the old record by almost four feet.
“I am trying to continue the momentum I have built because I started the indoor season not throwing the way I knew I could,” said Baker, “so it is good to see that my hard work is coming to fruition.”
Baker’s teammate, Dawson Frett, also beat the previous shot put school record, but could not take home the gold. Frett, with a throw of 41 feet, 10 inches, finished in the second place in the event.
“Wade pushes me everyday in practice, so for both of us to break the Waldorf shot put record is pretty cool,” said Dawson Frett.
The other records came from the women’s program. Skila Rogers broke the Waldorf record in the triple jump event with a jump of 36-4.75, which broke the old record of 35 feet, 8.75 inches from Abby Buehler in 2016.
Ashley Mishleau also made the Waldorf record books by tying the women’s high jump record by jumping 4-11, a mark that tied Charlene Garcia’s best from 2019.
The last record came from the women’s 4×400-meter relay team. Gemma Jasso, Hannah Perry, Mishleau and Quentinique Wilkinson ran a time of 4:23.16 seconds to break the previous record from 2018.
Emily Ryerson, Hayleigh Solano, Quincy Minor Jr., Antonio Lopes, and the men’s 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams were victorious on the day, as well.
Waldorf track and field has since travelled to Grand View on April 10 and Mount Mercy on April 17 and performed well at those two meets, too. The Warriors look forward to their next meet at Simpson College on April 23 in Indianola, Iowa.