Two individual crowns for Central to start league track and field championships
The Dutch have a strong opening day at conference meet
Waverly, IA (03/04/2025) — Amber Vroman (senior, Seneca, Ill.) and Addison Parrott (senior, Danville) each won their events Friday to spark the Central College track and field squads at the 2025 American Rivers Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Central is fourth in both the men's and women's standings. The women have 31 points and trail first-place Wartburg College by 23 points through six of 18 events. The Dutch men have 17 and are chasing Wartburg's 68 points through five of 18 events.
Running her first 5,000-meter race of the season, Parrott crossed the line in 17 minutes, 31.26 seconds to win and become the third-fastest runner in program history.
"She ran a great race and did what we needed her to do," coach Brandon Sturman said. "We were spreading out our top athletes to get as many points as we could. It was exciting to get her on top of the podium."
Vroman outlasted the pole vault field and clinched the title with a final clearance of 11 feet, 5.25 inches. It's her first conference title after registering three runner-up finishes earlier in her career.
"It's been a long time coming," Sturman said. "She's put in a lot of work and was able to get over the hump and be a conference champion."
Central's men's distance medley relay team earned a spot on the all-conference podium with a third-place finish in 10:16.44. The four-person unit featured Derek Webster (senior, Norwalk), Jrake Van Hemert (junior, Pella), Jack Every (freshman, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) and Jack Brown (senior, Norwalk).
"It wasn't the best time we wanted but it was enough to get on the podium," Sturman said. "We'll take them to a last chance meet next week to try and put it all together."
In the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles prelims, a whopping eight Central athletes advanced to Saturday's finals in those events. Four of the eight finalists in the men's 60-meter hurdles are Central athletes.
"We're excited about the momentum they've created," Sturman said. "Hopefully we can get ourselves right physically and mentally to do it again tomorrow."
Top-eight finishes - women
60 meters (prelims) - 2. Ava Parkins, 7.79; 4. Mary Gustason, 7.85; 5. Emily McMartin, 7.87
5000 meters - 1. Addison Parrott, 17:31.26
Distance medley relay - 7. Annika Kruse, Regan McMenomy, Riley Packer, Abby Halverson, 13:17.09
60-meter hurdles (prelims) - 3. Olivia Bohlen, 9.02
Pole vault - 1. Amber Vroman, 11-5.25; 4. Leah Howard, 10-9.5; 5. Kylie Meyer, 10-1.5
Top-eight finishes - men
Distance medley relay - 3. Derek Webster, Jrake Van Hemert, Jack Every, Jack Brown, 10:16.44
60-meter hurdles (prelims) - 1. Gunner Meyer, 8.06; 2. Grant Miller, 8.12; 4. Connor Miklos, 8.18; 5. Reid Pakkebier, 8.20
Long jump - 4. Kale Purcell, 22-5.00; 3. Kale Hobart, 22-2.25
Pole vault - 6. TJ DiSessa, 13-3.75; 6. Alex Miller, 13-3.75
Heptathlon - 6. Gage Huyser, 2,498 points (through four events)