WHAC RECAP
(Adrian, MI) - The women's track and field teams competed at their final WHAC Championships on Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2, at Siena Heights. The women's team earned an eighth-place finish overall. At the same time, they came away with 11 personal records, five season-best efforts, and two NCCAA Qualifying Marks.
The women saw great success from mid-distance and sprinters during the championships, as they combined for seven of the 11 personal records. Emma Puwal (Freshman; Utica, MI) saw a big breakthrough, as she ran to two personal records: 27.31 seconds in the 200 and 1:02 in the 400. Puwal earned an NCCAA qualifying mark with her finish in the 400-meter dash.
Elizabeth Hines (Sophomore; Ypsilanti, MI) and Merin Merkle (Sophomore; Monroe, MI) ran to new personal records of 1:06.67 and 1:07.30, respectively.
Macee Ripke (Sophomore; Napoleon, OH) ran to an NCCAA qualifying time with a new personal record in the 1500, finishing at 5:09. Rachael Byers (Sophomore; Plymouth, MI), Michaela Kurth (Sophomore; Ypsilanti, MI), Grace Finley (Sophomore; Monroe, MI) and Alison Doerr (Junior; Grand Haven, MI) all competed in the 1500 as well. Byers was the second Cardinal to cross the finish line in a time of 5:20, followed by Kurth in 5:24, Finley in 5:40 and Doerr with a personal record of 5:58.
Jayde Ullenbruch (Sophomore; Port Huron, MI) finished ninth in the 100 hurdles with a personal record and school record time of 15.21 seconds.
Byers, Kurth, Gunter, Ripke competed in the 4x800-meter relay and finished in sixth place with a final time of 10:59.84 seconds.
Merkle, Puwal, Hines and Gunter finished up the running events, finishing eighth in the 4 x 400 with 4:34.61.
In field events, Quinn Stefanski (Senior; Munger, MI) led the way in shot put with a throw of 10.24 meters. Maya Freeman (Sophomore; Fort Gratiot, MI) threw a season-best effort distance of 10.19 meters. Hailey Stasiukinas (Senior; Wyoming, MI) threw a personal record with a throw of 9.12 meters.
In discus, Christina Smith (Sophomore; Saginaw, MI) led the way with a personal record distance of 25.64 meters. Stefanski finished in 27 with a distance of 24.88 meters, followed by Morgan Jenkins (Junior; Cleveland, OH) with a personal record of 24.01 meters. Freeman finished up the event with a distance of 23.02 meters.
In Javelin, Stasiukinas finished in ninth place with a distance of 28.50 meters, followed by Smith with a throw of 28.36 meters.
In Hammer, Jenkins finished in 10 place with a throw of 39.59 meters. Freeman finished in 22 with a throw of 33.01 meters.
Merkle also competed in the high jump and finished in 13th place with a height of 1.41 meters.
NCCAA RECAP
(Columbia, SC) - The women's track and field team finished their time at the NCCAA Outdoor National Championships in Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9. The Cardinals finished tied for 12 with Judson with 19 points. They finished one point behind 11th-place Southwestern Christian and one point ahead of Ohio Christian. The team came away with two season bests, three personal records, two school records, and one national championship.
Jayde Ullenbruch continued her outstanding outdoor season. She once again broke her own school record in the 100 hurdles, running a new personal record in prelims of 15.04 seconds. Ullenbruch then ran a time of 15.38 seconds in the final to finish in sixth place. She finished 16 in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.06 seconds. She capped her busy first day off with a national championship in long jump with a winning distance of 5.33 meters. Ullenbruch claimed the fourth individual championship in the last three years for the Cardinals.
��NATIONAL CHAMPION��
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) May 9, 2025
Congratulations to @CUAATFXC's Jayde Ullenbruch for winning Long Jump at the NCCAA National Championships with a jump of 5.33 meters! pic.twitter.com/M47KwSqDbJ
Quinn Stefanski (Senior; Munger, MI) had a strong showing in the hammer throw with a fourth-place finish and threw multiple improvements before finishing at her record distance of 44.18 meters. Morgan Jenkins (Junior; Cleveland, OH) finished in 10 place with a throw of 40.56 meters.
Stefanski also competed in the discus and finished in 22 place with a distance of 28.91 meters.
Christina Smith (Sophomore; Saginaw, MI) and Hailey Stasiukinas (Senior; Wyoming, MI) competed in javelin. Stasiukinas finished in 11 place with a distance of 29.30 meters. Smith finished not far behind in 15 place with a throw of 26.47 meters.
Stasiukinas also competed in the shot put. She finished with a distance of 8.99 meters and placed 17th.
On the track, the 4 x 800 meter relay team of Chloe Gunter (Senior; Monroe, MI), Grace Finley (Sophomore; Monroe, MI), Michaela Kurth (Sophomore; Ypsilanti, MI) and Rachael Byers (Sophomore; Plymouth, MI) ran to a new school record time of 10:28.71 and finished in 10 place.
Byers and Macee Ripke (Sophomore; Napoleon, OH) competed in the 1500. Ripke finished in 20th place with a time of 5:18.70, and Byers finished in 24th with a time of 5:31.61.
Ripke also competed in the 5k earlier in the day, running to a new personal record time of 19:39.98 seconds.Ripke finished strong to earn an eighth-place finish and helped the team pick a point. Amanda Fogo (Junior; Fowlerville, MI) also competed in the 5k and finished at 22:14.02.
Gunter competed in the 800 and ran to a season-best time of 2:39.82. Emma Puwal (Freshman; Utica, MI) competed in the 400 and finished at 1:03.20.
Puwal, along with Merin Merkle (Sophomore; Monroe, MI), Grace Finley (Sophomore; Monroe, MI) and Elizabeth Hines (Sophomore; Ypsilanti, MI) finished the meet up with the 4 x 400 relay. The women ran to an 11 place finish with a final time of 4:25.54.
"This program has reached some unbelievable heights over the last few years and has brought some recognition to the amazing university. These athletes have shown immense strength to continue through all this and still achieve all that they have is amazing. It is disappointing to have this all end, as this team was rising to a place that has not been seen in a long time," said Head Coach Dominic Santina when reflecting on the program coming to an end.
The meet puts an end to the Concordia Track and Field Program.
