Valparaiso University sophomore Jessica Cherrington (Roseberg, Ore./Umpqua Valley Christian H.S.) won the javelin throw to help the Crusaders to a fifth place finish at the Mid-Continent Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Macomb, Ill. on Saturday.

Southern Utah won the team title with 238 points while Western Illinois was the meet runner-up with 206 points. Oral Roberts finished third with 146 points followed by UMKC with 97 points. The Crusaders scored 69 points and Chicago State tallied 53 points.

Cherrington won the javelin to begin the day with a season's best toss of 132'3" and as the event champion earned a berth at the NCAA Regional Championships in Columbus, Ohio in two weeks. Teammate Heather Furr (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield H.S.) also scored for the Brown and Gold in the event with a toss of 110'8" in her first time competing in the javelin.

Valpo did not score in the other two field events to begin the day. Katie Vogt (Hardyston, N.J./Wallkill Valley H.S.) was the Crusaders top finisher in the discus placing tenth with a toss of 100'1", while Rachel Liptak (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley H.S.) was one place back with a season's best throw of 98'5". In the triple jump, Alicia McNair (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins H.S.) led Valpo with a tenth place finish jumping 33'10 ¼".

On the oval the Valpo distance runners had the most success. Amy Mikel (Lemont, Ill./Fenwick H.S.) finished third in the 1,500m run with a time of 4:39.65 to lead a trio of Crusader scorers. Rachel Nelson (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit H.S.) was sixth crossing the line in 4:42.94 while Elizabeth Kinneer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton H.S.) was two spots back finishing in 4:45.03. All three times were season's bests. Nelson was also Valpo's top finisher in the 800m run with a time of 2:22.00 in tenth place.

In the 5,000m run, Elizabeth Whiting (Parma, Mich./Western H.S.) turned in a fifth place effort with a time of 18:29.87 while Amanda Lee (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon H.S.) was one spot back with a time of 18:42.49. Heidi Nathan (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford H.S.) missed scoring by just one place but turned in a season's best time of 19:07.33.

In the sprints, Maggie Zellner (Downers Grove, Ill./Benet Academy) finished sixth in the 400m dash with a time of 59.12 seconds, while Mary Frisch (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) was eighth in the 400m hurdles (1:07.63).

Valpo's 4x100m relay team of Frisch, Lynnae Skogerboe (Fridley, Minn./Columbia Heights H.S.), Amanda Meyer (Somerset, Wis./Somerset H.S.) and Zellner placed sixth with a season's best time of 50.94 seconds. The 4x400m relay finished fifth as Meyer, Nelson, Mikel, and Zellner crossed the finish line in 4:01.96.

With the exception of Cherrington, who will compete at the NCAA Regionals, the Crusaders season has come to a close.