Overview

During the 2010-11 seasons, Cornerstone women set four school records, four freshmen records, earned six NAIA All-Americans awards, and qualified two for the USA Track & Field National Championships. At the conference level, the Golden Eagles achieved five Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference event titles as well as the Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year awards. The 2011-12 squad features the most talented recruiting class to date and nine returning national qualifiers.

Sprints

Three freshmen with outstanding credentials join senior Co-Captain, Lauren Pierce with the intention of getting the 4 x 400 meter relay to the NAIA National meet for the eleventh time in the last twelve years. Larissa Hampton (Snider HS/ Fort Wayne, IN) has recorded a 58.64 and contributed to an All-State 4x400 relay. Julie Oosterhouse (Byron Center HS/ Byron Center, MI) was an MHSAA Division 2 State finalist with a personal record of 59.04 in the 400m. Lindsay Lipa (Canton HS/ Canton, MI) has the best short sprint marks having run 12.91 in the 100m and 26.4 in the 200m.

Hurdles

For eleven consecutive years CU hurdlers have had NAIA national qualifying marks in the 400m hurdles. Extending the streak to twelve years is the responsibility of Lauren Pierce who has run 1:05.69 in the 400m hurdles and took fifth place in the 2011 WHAC Outdoor Championships. Becca Wielfaert (Britton-Macon HS/ Britton, MI) was a 300m hurdle qualifier for the MHSAA Division 4 State meet and could factor into the WHAC scoring in the 400m hurdles.

Distance

The middle and long distance events feature a good mix of experience and young talent. Sophomore, Jill Louisignau (Benzie Central HS / Benzonia, MI) anchored the distance medley relay to the second fastest time in program history and the NAIA Indoor Championships and claimed both the freshman and school records in the 3000 meter steeplechase, clocking 11:18.36. Louisignau placed 18^th at the NAIA Outdoor Championships in the event. She also set the freshman record indoors in the 3000 meters, running 10:38.51 and set a 1500 meter PR of 4:57.94. Juniors Audry Yonge (Three Rivers HS / Three Rivers, MI) and Julia Contreras (Fowler HS / Fowler, MI) combined with Louisignau in qualifying the 4 x 800 meter relay for indoor nationals. Freshman Julie Oosterhouse brings MHSAA Division 2 All-State experience into the event. Mindy Lewis (Vicksburg HS / Vicksburg, MI) returns after setting freshmen records in the 5000 meters indoors (18:59.53) and 10,000 meters outdoors (41:16.13) along with qualifying for NAIA nationals in the marathon. After earning indoor All-America honors for the fourth time in the 3000 meter race walk, and qualifying for the USATF Championships for the second time, fifth year senior, Janelle Brown (Bay City Western HS / Midland, MI) looks to add to her two outdoor All-America awards in her final season. She is joined by sophomore Monica Lawrence (Schoolcraft HS / Schoolcraft, MI) who qualified for the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Championships as well as USATF Jr. Nationals in the race walk last season.

Jumps

Graduation claimed four WHAC titles and two conference records in the high jump and pole vault from the 2011 season. Suitable replacements include Brittany Green (Anthony Wayne HS/ Monclova, OH) who captured consecutive third place performances at the OHSAA Division 1 meet with a best mark of 18'8.5" performance her senior year. Lindsay Lipa enters CU as a combination jumper, clearing 5' 4" in the high jump and earning MHSAA Division 1 All-State honors in the long jump her senior year by soaring 17'6.5". Freshman Becca Wielfaert twice qualified for the MHSAA Division 4 State meet in the high jump and has cleared 5'1 as a prep athlete.

Throws

Freshman, Haley Russel, (Pine River HS / LeRoy, MI) looks to compete at the top of the conference both indoor and out. She has earned MHSAA Division 3All-State honors in both shot put and discus with best marks of 39' 1.75" and 119' 9". She joins junior Kayleigh Hammond (Zeeland West HS / Zeeland, MI) who has thrown the hammer 119' 8" and the discus 108' 10".

Multi-Events

Since 2005 Cornerstone women have competed at every NAIA championship meet, indoors and outdoors, combining for seven All-American honors including four top three finishes. A trio of multi-event athletes looks to compete in the indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon during the 2012 campaign. Brittany Green recorded personal bests of 32'6 in the shot put and 26.6 in the 200m to go along with her outstanding long jump mark. Lindsay Lipa also will make the transition to multi-events combining her jumping ability with great sprint speed. Both Green and Lipa look to break the freshman marks both indoors and outdoors and pursue trips to Nationals. Sophomore Liz Baller narrowly missed the freshman javelin and heptathlon marks last year has far surpassed her training numbers from her freshman season and will seek her first trip to nationals in the pentathlon or heptathlon.