Etha Miller May 23, 2009

Two more all-American track and field performances for Dutch

MARIETTA, OHIO—Central College senior Rachel Boeke (Cedar Rapids, Thomas Jefferson HS) and freshman Ethan Miller (Seymour) each earned all-American honors for the second time Saturday at the NCAA Division III track and field championships. Boeke placed sixth in the women’s shot put and Miller was fourth in the men’s high jump.

In the team standings Central finished tied for 36th on the men’s side with nine points while the University of Wis.-Oshkosh won the men’s team title with 46 points. On the women’s side the Dutch tied for 58th with four points and Wartburg College won the team title with 52.

“I’m very excited about what we did this weekend,” said head Central coach Joe Dunham. “We got some great performances and everyone did a great job.”

Boeke earned all-American status for the first time Friday with an eighth-place finish in the women’s discus throw. In the shot put Saturday she recorded a throw of 43 feet, 6.5 inches to qualify for the finals, and the distance held up for sixth place. Monique Riddick, a sophomore from Montclair State (N.J.), won the event with a throw of 51-9.

“Rachel (Boeke) really went after it today,” Dunham said. “She knew she’d already earned all-American honors (in the discus throw), and had sort of a nothing to lose mentality and just had a good performance. I’m really happy with the way she competed here.”

Boeke previously qualified for the national meet in the shot put three times (twice indoors, once outdoors) and the discus throw once, but was not accepted until this year.

Miller was an indoor all-American where he placed eighth in the pentathlon. After finishing 13th in the men’s decathlon Friday, Miller came back to record a new career best in the high jump (6-9) and take fourth place. Manchester College’s (Ind.) John Kimmel, a junior, won the event with a height of 6-11.5.

“Ethan (Miller) seemed more like an upperclassman today than a freshman,” said Dunham. “He didn’t do as well as he wanted in the decathlon, but he came out and had a pretty impressive performance in the high jump. And to be able to do that after two days of competing in the decathlon is just outstanding.”

Also earning all-American honors for the Dutch was sophomore Kurtis Brondyke (Clinton) who finished fifth in the men’s decathlon Friday with 6,809 points. Sophomore Jill Ziskovsky (Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) and junior Carissa Bentz (Ute, Boyer Valley HS) competed in the women’s heptathlon Thursday and Friday finishing 15th and 16th, respectively, separated by one point. And freshman Tyler Crouse (Hedrick, Pekin HS) competed in the men’s discus Friday but did not advance to the finals.