CHARLESTON, Ill. – Sophomore Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) posted three top-10 performances in school history as she competed in the pentathlon for the first time in her career and junior Kyela Specht (Munster, Ind./Munster) clocked the third-best 600 meter time in program history to highlight action for the Bradley women's track and field team Saturday at the EIU John Craft Invitational.
Dutcher was in the top three in all five events of the pentathlon, with three second-place finishes, and claimed the individual title in the event Saturday. Her time of 9.44 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles is sixth among Bradley career marks and her high jump of 1.48 meters (4-10.25) ranks seventh in program history. Dutcher also posted the best long jump for a Brave since 1983, with her 5.20 meters (17-00.75 feet) ranking fourth in school history.
Specht clocked a career-best in the 600 meters, topping her previous career-best effort by over one second, and was second overall at 1:37.42. Her time ranks third in school history and is the best time at Bradley since 2003.
The Braves also posted a meet record in the distance medley relay to win the event with Specht teaming with sophomore Rachel Sudbury (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) and the freshmen duo of Casey Kramer (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) and Lauren Cunningham (Bayside, Wis./Nicolet) to claim the title. The quartet's time of 12:09.20 is ninth in school history and was 22 seconds better than second-place finisher Murray State.
"We ran really well today,” said Bradley head coach Marc Burns. “The efforts were excellent and we finished races with big kicks. Kyela (Specht) was aggressive in the 600 meters and ended up with a nice personal best. Whitney (Schumacher) ran a smart rough race in the 3,000 meters and closed hard over the last mile. Molly (Leveille) was able to fight someone off in her 800 meter race to win the heat. The distance medley relay followed the game plan perfectly for the win and Elizabeth Dutcher won the multi in her first ever attempt at the event. We are very happy with the efforts and competitiveness today and are looking forward to Indiana next weekend."
Junior Taylor Johnson (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast) was third in the 800 meters with a time of 2:21.96 to finish third overall and freshman Molly Leveille (North Liberty, Iowa/Iowa City West) crossed the line at 2:25.58 to win her 800 meter heat.
Senior Whitney Schumacher (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) was Bradley's top finisher in the 3,000 meters in second at 10:22.38 and freshman Mackenzie Griffin (Petersburg, Ill./PORTA) paced five Bradley runners in the mile with a time of 5:22.62.
Bradley returns to action Friday and Saturday at the Indiana Relays in Bloomington, Ind.
