Michigan
Stanford Invitational
Windemuller Leads Women’s Distance Crew in 2022 Outdoor Opener
4/2/2022 12:18:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Site: Palo Alto, Calif. (Cobb Track and Angell Field)
Event: Stanford Invitational
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 2 -- at Stanford Invitational - Day 2 (Palo Alto, Calif.), 2:30 p.m. PT
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Steeplechaser Kayla Windemuller led the way for the University of Michigan women's track and field team Friday (April 1) as the distance crew made a strong 2022 outdoor debut at the Stanford Invitational.
Running at or near the front for virtually the entire race, Windemuller covered 3,000 meters and overcame 28 barriers and seven water jumps in 10:02.46 for second place.
She led for much of the early stages of the race before going back and forth with Carmen Riano of Miami (Ohio) and Lexy Halladay of BYU. Though Riano would ultimately pull away for the win, Windemuller took advantage of a late Halladay fall to move back into second after the final water pit.
Windemuller logged the fastest time in program history for the month of April, edging out the 10:02.77 run by eventual first-team All-American Claire Borchers in 2017.
The time will also clinch her a spot at the NCAA East Preliminaries in May, reserved for the top 48 individuals per event in the NCAA East Region. That meet serves as the opening stage of the national championships.
She was joined in likely clinching an NCAA East Prelims qualifying spot by Samantha Tran, who clocked a career-best 16:05.09 to finish fifth in her section of the 5,000 meters, and Ericka VanderLende, who was 15th in the invitational section in 16:04.02.
Sitting in ninth with a lap to go, Tran rallied on the final lap with a 1:10.61 split over the final 400 meters – faster than all but three other women in her race – to run down four opponents, including three in the closing 150 meters.
Her run also elevated her to No. 9 on the all-time U-M outdoor list in the event.
Also on the bubble of the NCAA East Prelims after Friday is multiple Big Ten champion and All-American Aurora Rynda, who finished runner-up in her section of the 1,500 meters in a career-best 4:21.84.
She will contest her signature 800-meter race Saturday, in what will be her first outing at that distance since the NCAA Indoor Championships last month.
Michigan Results by Event
Sorted by finish time
1500 meter run
Final
2. Aurora Rynda / 4:21.84 [New PR] (Section 3)
2. Samantha Hastie / 4:28.66 (Section 5)
4. Lucy Petee / 4:28.98 (Section 5)
2. Amber Gall / 4:32.64 (Section 6)
7. Eva Jansohn / 4:33.21 (Section 5)
8. Yasmine Mansi / 4:36.21 (Section 6)
11. Gabby Swider / 4:35.37 (Section 4)
Steeplechase
Final
2. Kayla Windemuller / 10:02.46 (Invitational Section)
3. Lauren Fulcher / 10:36.61 (Section 2)
5000 meter run
Final
15. Ericka VanderLende / 16:04.02 (Invitational Section)
5. Samantha Tran / 16:05.09 [New PR] (Section 2)
14. Katelynne Hart / 16:19.47 (Section 2)
11. Julia Vanitvelt / 17:01.62 [New PR] (Section 4)
Players Mentioned
