Knepper Wins Steeplechase as Mustangs Finish Fifth at Heart Conference

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Mount Mercy University delivered a strong showing at the 2026 Heart Conference, highlighted by Abby Knepper's victory in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:43.37, contributing to its competitive overall performance. Despite their efforts, Mount Mercy's overall point total was 49.75, placing them fifth in the competition, with Central Methodist leading the standings at 237.5 points.

Brooklyn Johnson placed 13th in the Women's 100 Meters Preliminaries with a time of 12.77. Skylar Palmgren secured 7th place in the Women's 400 Meters, finishing in 58.77 and earning 2 points.

Catie Reittinger finished 4th in the Women's 800 Meters with a time of 2:19.30, earning 5 points.

In the Women's 1500 Meters, Cora McArtor placed 13th with a time of 5:07.11. In the Women's 5000 Meters, Emma Althoff took 13th place with a time of 19:29.40, and Maria Dudzik placed 15th with 19:44.98. Kalin Rotzoll finished 5th in the Women's 10,000 Meters with a time of 37:38.48, earning 4 points, while Althoff placed 10th with 39:56.22.

Danielle Dimmings placed 13th in the Women's 100 Hurdles Preliminaries with a time of 15.60 and 14th in the Women's 400 Hurdles with a time of 1:10.21. Knepper won the Women's 3000 Steeplechase, clocking in at 10:43.37 and earning 10 points.

Carla Santos secured 2nd place in the Women's Pole Vault with a mark of 2.93m (9' 7.25"), earning 5.75 points. Johnson placed 6th in the Women's Long Jump with a mark of 5.38m (17' 8"), earning 3 points, and 12th in the Women's Triple Jump with a mark of 10.58m (34' 8.5").

In the Women's Shot Put, Kylie Smither placed 10th with a mark of 11.65m (38' 2.75"), followed by Claire Geerts in 15th with 10.84m (35' 6.75"), and Jaclyn Wooldridge in 19th with 10.22m (33' 6.5"). Savannah Slobodnik and Claire Hynek placed 21st and 23rd with marks of 9.95m (32' 7.75") and 9.80m (32' 2"), respectively.

In the Women's Discus, Natalie DeFord placed 15th with a mark of 34.00m (111' 6"), followed by Slobodnik in 16th with 33.79m (110' 10"), and Geerts in 21st with 30.49m (100' 0").

DeFord placed 3rd in the Women's Hammer with a mark of 46.85m (153' 8"), earning 6 points. Slobodnik was 12th with 41.65m (136' 8"), and Wooldridge was 20th with 38.01m (124' 8"). Hynek, Smither, and Allee Clark placed 22nd, 24th, and 25th with marks of 37.66m (123' 7"), 35.79m (117' 5"), and 35.54m (116' 7"), respectively.

In the Women's Javelin, Miyah Fox placed 16th with a mark of 30.49m (100' 0"), Dayna Maiers placed 17th with 29.44m (96' 7"), Geerts placed 19th with 27.41m (89' 11"), and Hynek placed 24th with 25.31m (83' 0").

Central Methodist topped the Heart Conference standings with 237.5 points, followed by Benedictine (Kan.) with 198.83 points, Park U. with 84 points, and MidAmerica Nazarene with 59 points.