The Aurora University men's and women's outdoor track and field teams finished the 2013 season with some impressive performances, capped off with the recent rankings by D3Rankings.us.
The AU women finished ranked No. 27 in NCAA Division III and No. 10 in the Midwest Region, while the AU men were ranked No. 41 overall and No. 11 in the Midwest.
AU won the 2013 Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) Championships in women's outdoor track and field, and the Spartans brought home a third-place finish in men's outdoor track and field.
With the success on the track came post season honors from the NAC for AU Head Coach
Ryan Chapman and numerous players.
Spartans named NAC Player of the Year were sophomore
Kaylee Swearingen (Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Meet – women's outdoor track and field) and freshman
Liz Canaday (Outdoor Track Athlete of the Meet - women's outdoor track and field). NAC Freshman of the Year honors went to
Elise Hinson (women's outdoor track and field).
Chapman captured five NAC Coach of the Year awards in 2012-2013, starting with men's and women's
cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field, and women's outdoor track and field.
In the outdoor season, the AU women set new school records in 13 out of 22 events. New marks were achieved in the 100 meter (
Loretta Johnson – 12.85), 110 meter hurdles (
Elise Hinson – 16.06), 200 meter (
Liz Canaday – 26.08), 400 meter (
Liz Canaday – 59.25), 400 meter hurdles (Talie Sheedlo – 1:09.14), 1,500 meter (
Brit March – 5:00.01), Steeplechase (
Heidi Gantz – 12:07.69), 3,000 meter (
C.J. Houlis – 10:47.48), 5,000 meter (
C.J. Houlis – 17:59.44), 10,000 meter (
C.J. Houlis – 38:19.30), 4x400 meter relay (Johnson,
Lena Palmer,
Ciara Marlow, Canaday – 4:06.09), high jump (
Jenna Taylor – 1.60 meters), and heptathlon (
Ciara Marlow – 4,270 points).
On the men's side, AU had eight new school records out of a possible 23 events. New records were set in the 200 meter (
Tyron Pitchford – 22.33), 400 meter hurdles (
Kalmon Stokes – 54.85), 800 meter (
Alex Duncan – 1:54.35), 4x100 meter relay (
Wes Heniff,
Nick Williams,
Chris Moss, Pitchford – 42.76), Steeplechase (
Nick Cole – 9:52.38), long jump (
Nick Williams – 6.94 meters), triple jump (
Nick Williams – 13.52 meters), and high jump (
Loren Iwanicki – 1.98 meters).
