EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Led by junior Mary Goldkamp (Florissant, Mo./McCluer North H.S.), the Bradley women's track & field team earned 11 top-10 finishes Saturday, including seven in the top-five, at the inaugural Gateway Classic hosted by SIU Edwardsville. Goldkamp finished first in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:31.90 and claimed third place in the 400-meter dash at 59.34.
Senior Katie Nowak (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake H.S.) took fifth in the 400m at 59.73, followed by sophomore Michelle Hartman (Savanna, Ill./Prince of Peace H.S.) in sixth (1:00.25), junior Leann Murphy (Rochester, Ill./Rochester H.S.) in ninth (1:02.21) and junior Lynsi Hermann (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone H.S.) in 10th (1:13.05).
Freshman Nicole Benson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) earned one of her two top-five finishes in the 800-meter run, crossing the finish line in third place with a time of 2:15.47. In the 1,500-meter run, the Braves claimed three of the top-five spots. Goldkamp won the event, while Nowak finished second (4:33.00) and Benson took fifth (4:39.01). Senior Rachel Brubaker (Davis, Ill./Durand H.S.) also picked up a top-10 finish in the 1,500m, taking ninth place with a time of 4:52.05. With their performances Saturday, Goldkamp and Nowak currently rank one and two, respectively, on the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor season-best list for the 1,500-meter run.
Bradley's final top-10 finish came in the women's high jump, as sophomore Kourtnie Janson (Cambridge, Ill./Cambridge H.S.) tied for fourth by clearing a height of 1.55 meters.
The Braves will return to action next weekend at both the Stan Lyons Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind. and the Redbird Spring Invitational in Normal, Ill.