Westmont Magazine Track and Field Reaches New Heights

Jackson Nemitz

At the 2019 NAIA Indoor National Championship, sophomore Seth Wilmoth won the Indoor national title in the pole vault. Michael Oldach, who fell ill before the championships, finished eighth and earned All-American honors in the mile. Pieter Top took Oldach’s place on the men’s 4 x 800 meter distance medley relay later in the day. The team of Top, Pedro Perez Espino, Jason Peterson and William Warner finished eighth, notching All-American honors.

In the women’s events, Emily Parks captured All-American honors with a sixth place finish in the 600 meter run in a time of 1:34.74.

Nadya Wisham placed 12th in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 11.47 meters (37-7.5), which ties for the seventh best mark in Westmont history.

Sydney Marr burst onto the national scene in an event the Warriors have never had anyone compete in before. Marr’s second attempt in the women’s weight throw was 17.31 meters (56-9), a school record that also earned her eighth place and All-American honors.

Chena Underhill and Dana Nemitz both scored in the women’s pole vault for the second time at nationals. Nemitz cleared 3.67 meters (12-0.5 feet) to place third and Underhill vaulted 3.62 meters (11-10.5) and placed seventh.

Also claiming All-American honors were Alyssa Caldera, Casey Jensen, Bethany Bodine and Abigail White in the women’s 4 x 800 meters. The quartet took sixth place in a time of 9:32.40. The accomplishment was also the fourth All-American finish in a row for in the women’s 4 x 800 — outdoor 2017, indoor 2018, outdoor 2018 and indoor 2019.

In the men’s heptathlon, Peter Top finished fourth with a total of 5,137 points to earn his fourth All-American title and record the second-best mark in the Warrior record book.

In total, the Warriors earned one NAIA national champion and 15 indoor track and field All-Americans.

Several Warriors qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championship at the fifth annual Westmont Collegiate Classic, which kicked off the outdoor track and field season on March 23. Marr won the women’s hammer throw with a new Westmont record of 54.73 meters (179-6). Parks won the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 62.26 seconds. Underhill cleared 3.66 meters (12-0) in the women’s pole vault to win the event and earn an automatic qualification. Nemitz tied for second in the event with a 3.50 meter vault (11-5.75).

In the men’s events, Wilmoth cleared 4.75 meters (15-7), finishing second to Luigi Colella, who represents Italy and broke the stadium record by clearing 5.21 meters (17-1). Perez Espino took first in the men’s 400 meter hurdles in 54.53 seconds. The men’s 4 x 800 meter relay team of Peterson, Warner, Oldach and Patrick Malberg also qualified by winning in 7:47.74.