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Wingate University Athletics

Wilshire and Althaus earn first team All-American laurels

Women's Track & Field

TWICE AS NICE! Wilshire and Althaus bring home AA hardware on final night of NCAAs

RESULTS | NCAA meet results
VIDEO | Live NCAA video/highlights

Allendale, Mich.----Wingate University graduate student Vanisha Wilshire and junior Franziska Althaus claimed first team All-American trophies on the final night of the NCAA Division II national outdoor track and field championships at the GVSU Track and Field Stadium Saturday. Wilshire finished fourth in the high jump, while Althaus placed sixth in the 5000 meters.
 
Althaus earned her second All-American honor in three nights, as she finished an identical sixth place in Thursday's 10,000 meters. On Saturday, she broke her 5000 meters' school-record with a time of 16:16.51. Her previous career-best time was 16:20.50.
 
Making her seventh NCAA appearance (and fourth outdoors), Wilshire did not disappoint, clearing a season-best (tying) 1.76 meters to earn her fourth-place finish. The Wingate school-record holder in the event, Wilshire may need a new trophy case. The Louisburg, North Carolina product has seven All-American trophies (four outdoor, three indoor).
 
Althaus and Wilshire combined to score 11 points for the Bulldogs, tying the South Atlantic Conference members for 22nd place with Fresno Pacific and Lincoln (Mo.). Azusa Pacific won the women's team championship with 81 points. Meet co-host Grand Valley State was a close second with 77 markers. GVSU and the West Michigan Sports Commission served as co-hosts of the 2021 championships.
 
Vanisha Wilshire notes
 
- Wilshire passed on the opening height of 1.65 meters
- She missed her first try at 1.70 and 1.73 meters, nailing the second attempt both times
- The 2021 SAC women's high jump champion cleared her first effort at 1.76 meters
- Wilshire's evening concluded after her third miss at 1.79 meters
- Azusa Pacific sophomore Chinenye Agina won the high jump with her mark of 1.85 meters
- Agina made her first six jumps in a row, only missing after the other 16 competitors had been eliminated
- Tiffin sophomore Marisa Gwinner finished second with her mark of 1.79 meters
- Emporia State junior Clara Eilert matched Wingate's Wilshire by clearing 1.76 meters
- Eilert took third place (over Wilshire), thanks to fewer misses
 
Franziska Althaus notes
 
- Althaus' previous career-best time (16:20.50) came at the Lee Last Chance meet earlier this month
- Althaus was sitting in 13th place after 2600 meters
- She made a late push, eventually moving to fifth place at the 4600-meter mark
- Althaus saved her best for last, posting her fastest split in the final 400 meters (1:10.50)
- U-Mary senior Ida Narbuvoll set a meet record with her triumphant time of 15:37.50
- Narbuvoll won the 10,000 meters by 30 seconds Thursday night
- Adams State sisters Eilish and Roisin Flanagan finished second (15:50.59) and third (15:52.80), respectively
- Azusa Pacific senior Jennifer Sandoval was fourth with her time of 16:11.31
- Sandoval was second in Thursday's 10,000 meters
- GVSU sophomore Hannah Roeske claimed fifth place with her time of 16:13.95 Saturday

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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