Knepper's Two Wins Propel Mustangs in Heart of America Conference Meet

MARYVILLE, Mo. — Mount Mercy University wrapped up the Heart of America Conference Indoor Championship with standout performances from Abby Knepper, who clinched two first-place finishes in the 1 mile and 3000 meters, boosting the team's overall score at NW Missouri-Hughes Fieldhouse.

Brooklyn Johnson took 16th in the Women's 60 Meters preliminaries with a time of 8.13. Gift Gonpue came in 18th in the Women's 200 Meters, clocking 27.20. Skylar Palmgren finished 15th in the Women's 400 Meters with a time of 1:00.43.

Palmgren secured eighth in the Women's 600 Meters, finishing in 1:38.60 and earning one point. In the Women's 1000 Meters, Catie Reittinger landed ninth with a time of 3:09.05.

Knepper dominated the Women's Mile with a time of 5:09.35, earning 10 points, and also triumphed in the Women's 3000 Meters in 10:13.91, adding another 10 points. Kalin Rotzoll finished fifth in the Women's 3000 Meters with a time of 10:42.21, earning four points, and took third in the Women's 5000 Meters at 18:02.61, adding six points. Maria Dudzik placed 16th in the Women's 3000 Meters with a time of 11:21.39.

Danielle Dimmings came in 13th in the Women's 60 Hurdles preliminaries with a time of 10.01.

Carla Santos achieved third place in the Women's Pole Vault with a mark of 3.10m, earning six points. In the Women's Long Jump, Johnson placed eighth with a mark of 5.30m, collecting one point, while Gonpue finished 12th with a mark of 5.14m.

In the Women's Shot Put, Kylie Smither secured 10th with a mark of 11.69m, followed by Natalie DeFord in 14th with a mark of 11.24m and Claire Geerts in 17th with a mark of 10.78m.

In the Women's Weight Throw, Savannah Slobodnik took 10th with a mark of 14.02m, DeFord finished 12th with a mark of 13.92m, and Claire Hynek placed 19th with a mark of 11.47m.

Mount Mercy finished fifth overall, tallying 51 team points. Central Methodist claimed the women's team title with 201 points, followed by Benedictine in second (179.5), Midamerica Nazarene in third (109), and Park in fourth (66).