Grizzly women looking for 11th straight RMAC crown

Grasmick enters as reigning RMAC Track Athlete of the Week

CHADRON, Neb.— Ranked second in the country, according to the latest Division II U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings, the Adams State College women’s track and field team begins its’ hunt for a record-extending 11th straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference crown Friday here at Chadron State College’s Nelson Physical Activity Center.

Picked by all but two coaches to do so in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll, the Grizzlies have done nothing to disappoint throughout the regular season and have an individual athlete or relay team ranked amongst the top two performers in the RMAC this season in every running event.

With RMAC leaders in six of those events, the Grizzlies enter the 2-day meet as the favorites to win a 20th overall title.  The Grizzlies have only lost three championships since the meet was first held in 1990. and have only been beaten once (2001) since 1992.  Western State, ranked eighth in the country, has the only other three RMAC titles and appears to be the Grizzlies’ biggest challenger with three event performance list leaders coming in.

New Mexico Highlands, ranked 12th in the country, could also challenge for several event wins and is a dark horse to win the team title.

Results from the meet will be posted reguraly throughout the meet and can be accessed by clcking here.

The Grizzlies have been dominant throughout the season and have had an athlete win RMAC Track Athlete of the Week honors each time they have competed throughout the season.

The most recent of those honorees is senior Lindsey Grasmick (Fowler, Colo.), who received the honor Wednesday after winning both the 200 and 400-meter crowns at last week’s Colorado Mines Twilight Open.

Senior KayMarie Jones (St. Elizabeth, Jamaica) also has two such honorees and is the RMAC performance list leader in the 400 meters and the No. 2 performer in the 60-meter hurdles.  The top athlete in that event is teammate Indira Spence (Trelawny, Jamaica) who has been dominant for the Grizzlies in the sprints and hurdles throughout her career.  She is ranked second in the conference in both the 60 and 200-meter dashes as well.

Sophomore Zenobia Sims (Sierra Vista, Ariz.), also a RMAC Track Athlete of the Week back in December, is the RMAC leader in the 60 and ranks fourth in the 200.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies also appear to be strong in the distance events as Feb. 15 RMAC Track Athlete of the Week selection Cassie Mitchell (Tustin, Calif.) has the best RMAC times in both the 800 meters and mile this season while sophomore Alicia Nelson (Craig, Colo.) ranks second in the 800 and third in the mile.

Junior Kristen McGlynn (Bailey, Colo.), honored by the conference on Feb. 1., ranks second in the mile and 5,000 meters and third in the 3,000 meters, a list led by Grizzly redshirt freshman Sarah Lange (Brattleboro, Vt.).

The Grizzlies are not quite as strong in the field events although freshman Kris-Ann Walters (Kingston, Jamaica) ranks fourth in both the long and triple jumps coming in while outdoor All-American Katie Kruger (Alamosa, Colo.) stands third in the shot put coming in to her RMAC title defense, ahead of senior teammate Jenna Bohnen (Erie, Colo.), who is positioned fifth in both the shot put and weight throw.

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