Dutch Men Open in National Track Index
The Central College men’s track and field team found itself at No. 18 in the USTFCCCA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Team Rating Index in the first week of its release Tuesday.
Points in the National Team Rating Index are based off placement in the National Descending Order Lists. The higher an athlete sits on the list, the more points he or she adds to his or her team’s total. These points do not reflect placement or scoring at the NCAA Championships but is to show the individuals and teams that have the best chances at scoring well at said meet.
Central has five individuals in the top 20 of an event and three additional marks inside the top 50.
High jumper Sam Beatty (senior, Mount Pleasant) is the Dutch student-athlete rated highest on the list, coming in at #3 (6 feet, 8.75 inches). Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) is #4 in the heptathlon (4,811 points), Jaxon Thompson (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) is #8 and Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is #14. Pakkebier is also #17 in the 60-meter hurdles (8.30 seconds).
Central is one of four teams from the American Rivers Conference to crack the top-25 and are also ranked No. 6 in the Midwest Region.
Central hosts the Dutch Winter Multi-Meet on Thursday and Friday in Pella. Most of the team will travel to the Spartan Invitational in Dubuque on Saturday.
Academic Honors Given to Central Triathlon Team, Athletes
The Central College women’s triathlon team was named a Scholar All-American team as Lindsey Blommers (senior, Pella) and Grace Benson (freshman, Newton) were also named Scholar All-American by the Collegiate Triathlon Coaches Association Wednesday.
In addition to Blommers and Benson, Thea Lunning (senior, Mason City), Jessica Carithers (senior, Mackinaw, Ill., Deer Creek-Mackinaw HS) and Luci Laidlaw (freshman, Pella) were cited as honorable mention Scholar All-Americans.
Individual Scholar All-American status is given to athletes who finish in the top 20 at the National Championship meet who maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher during the fall semester. Honorable mention is given to any athlete with a 3.5 GPA who competes at the national meet. To earn the team award, programs must have a team GPA of 3.2 during the fall semester.
Blommers, an accounting major with a 3.86 GPA in the fall, finished 14th nationally. Benson, an undeclared major, with a 4.00 GPA in the fall, finished 17th nationally. Lunning earned a 4.0 GPA as a biology major and finished 29th overall. Carithers was 32nd and had a 3.88 GPA as an elementary education major. Laidlaw was 38th and had a 4.00 GPA as an undeclared freshman.
Central was one of 27 teams to earn the Scholar All-American team honor.