The Valparaiso women’s track and field team recorded four first-place finishes in the season-opening Gene and Rose Edmonds Invitational held in Rensselaer, Ind. on Saturday afternoon.

Four of the five event wins for the Crusaders came in field events.

Sophomore Jazmin Taylor (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) cleared 5’1 ¾” to win the high jump.

Freshman Sarah Peters (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) took first in the pole vault with a best height of 10’8”.

Junior Erica Funk (Blue Mound, Ill./Meridian) took victory in the discus throw with a mark of 129’5”.

Junior Sarah Drozdowski (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) had a best distance 156’3” to win the hammer throw. She was also second in the shot put and fourth in the discus.

Freshman Megan Howdeshell (Bourbon, Ind./Triton Junior-Senior) placed third in the discus, fourth in the hammer throw and fifth in the shot put.

Sophomore Brooke Hinstorff (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) took second in the javelin throw (100’11”) and fourth in the long jump. Freshman Ashley Heisey (Shippensburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) was second in the pole vault, while junior Marissa Crafton (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) was third in the long jump.

On the track, junior Nicole Zehel (Wixom, Mich./Lutheran Westland) won the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:57.94. Junior Grace Shemwell (Clinton, Iowa/Clinton) finished third, while junior Haley Kerlin (Rensselaer, Ind./Rensselaer) and freshman Dezzarae Arce (Orland Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Sophomore Kelli Wosick (Mount Prospect, Ill./Saint Viator) placed second in the 400-meter dash (1:02.46) and was fourth in the 200-meter dash (29.16).

Freshman Heather Mende and sophomore Malea Buck (Davenport, Iowa/Central) finished third and fourth in the 100-meter, dash respectively.

The Crusaders return to the track on Friday, Mar. 29 for day one of the Mike Poehlein Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.

Note: Former Crusader Rachel Liptak (2001-05) won in her first appearance on Jeopardy on Friday. She will continue playing the game on Monday.