Competing in its toughest meet of the season, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field team had two individuals crack the national top 10 of their individual events Saturday at the Wartburg Select. As a team, the Dutch women were third and the men were fifth. 

Caroline McMartin (junior, Pella) cut 20 seconds off her career-best time in the 3,000-meter run, setting a new school record in 9 minutes, 52.90 seconds. She’s the first Central woman to get under 10 minutes. Also in the 3000, Megan Johnson (junior, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) was fourth in 10:18.40 and Addison Parrott (sophomore, Danville) was fifth in 10:42.77. Cali Coffman (senior, Leawood, Kan., Blue Valley HS) was Central’s lone winner on the women’s side, taking the pole vault with a clearance of 9 feet, 8.5 inches. Amber Vroman (sophomore, Seneca, Ill.) was second after clearing the same height but on more attempts. Coming off her second-place outing Friday in the pentathlon, Olivia Bohlen (freshman, Belle Plaine) was second in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.25 seconds. 

Sam Beatty (senior, Mount Pleasant) improved his season-best mark in the high jump 6 feet, 9.5 inches in a winning performance. He’s No. 2 in Division III this season and tied for seventh in program history. Taking fifth in the 60-meter hurdles, Connor Miklos (junior, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) crossed the line in 8.61 seconds. In the heptathlon, Grant Miller (freshman, Norwalk) finished fourth with 4,100 points and Gavin Smith (freshman, Audubon) was fifth with 4,023 points. Noah Jorgenson (junior, Sidney) added a sixth-place finish in the mile (4:24.20) and Caleb Silver (senior, Conrad, BCLUW HS) was seventh in the 3,000-meter run (8:51.66)

The majority of Central’s team is headed to the Darren Young Classic at Grinnell next Saturday. A small group of distance runners are headed to Boston University for the David Hemery Valentine Valentine Invitational.