Ertz, Nail claim Heart of America indoor titles

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- Led by Andrea Ertz and Bre Nail, the Mount Mercy women finished fifth at the 2022 Heart of America Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend on the campus of Northwest Missouri State. In all, the Mustangs earned all-conference awards in eight events.

Ertz was named the Heart Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet for the second year in a row after defending her indoor titles in the 800 meters and 1,000 meters while also winning the mile run. She hit NAIA qualifying marks in all three races. Ertz cruised to the championship in the 800 with a time of 2:15.49, which eclipsed the NAIA's automatic qualifying standard and was nearly four seconds faster than runner-up Caroline Cobo of Benedictine (2:19.10). She edged Cobo again in the 1,000 meters, hitting the NAIA B standard with a time of 3:01.81. Cobo was next at 3:03.19. In the mile, Ertz (5:09.69) again hit the NAIA B standard in a victory over Morgan Lawson of Grand View (5:14.52).

Nail also defended her title in the shot put with the farthest throw at the Heart of America indoor championships since 2009. Her distance was 14.06m, a personal record which sailed past the NAIA's automatic qualifying standard and puts Nail fourth in the nation heading into the NAIA national championships in two weeks.

With a narrow victory over Grand View, Central Methodist won their first Heart indoor track & field championship. The Eagles finished with 156 points while the Vikings were runners-up with 151. The remainder of the standings went MidAmerica Nazarene (126), Benedictine (118), Mount Mercy (78), Baker (64), Graceland (45), Park (37), Evangel (15), Clarke (11), Missouri Valley (4), and Culver-Stockton (3). 

Women's all-conference awards:
800m: Annie Ertz (first-team/2:15.49)
1,000m: Annie Ertz (first-team/3:01.81)
Mile: Annie Ertiz (first-team/5:09.69)
3,000m: Deanna Newhouse (second-team/10:38.89)
5,000m: Deanna Newhouse (second-team/18:33.74)
4x800m relay: Carli Reittinger, Sydney Woods, Jessa Day, Yaqueline Hernandez (hm/10:17.40)
Distance medley relay: Woods, Reittinger, Hernandez, Day (hm13:47.38)
Shot put: Bre Nail (first-team/14.06m)