Women’s Track and Field Continues Early-Season Progression at Dutch Invite

PELLA, Iowa — The Graceland University women's outdoor track and field team continued its early-season schedule Saturday at the Central College Dutch Invitational, competing against a deep field of NCAA and junior college programs .

The Yellowjackets were led by freshman Juliana Penn, who posted the team's top performance with a 26.09 finish in the 200 meters, placing 17th overall. Penn also competed in the 400 meters, recording a 1:02.43 mark to finish 12th, highlighting her versatility across sprint events.

Additional contributions came from freshman Tessa Cook, who clocked 1:06.70 in the 400 meters and added a 29.21 effort in the 200 meters, continuing to build experience in multiple sprint disciplines.

In the 100 meters, junior Nya Glenn led Graceland with a 15.41 time, followed by sophomore Christine Burke at 16.76, as both athletes competed in preliminary heats.

The meet served as a developmental opportunity for the Yellowjackets, focusing on race execution, sprint mechanics and early-season conditioning against strong competition.

Head coach Tom Shore emphasized continued progress.

"We're building consistency across our events and focusing on execution at each phase of the race. This group is competing hard and taking steps forward each week," Shore said.

Graceland returns to action Saturday, April 4, at 9:00 a.m. CDT, competing in the Pitt State David Suenram Gorilla Classic at the Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburgh, Kan.

For more information on Graceland outdoor track and field and all Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.