GRINNELL – Three-time event champions Ava Claussen-Tubbs and Jayda Carnes led the way to Cornell's record-setting weekend at the Midwest Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships at Bear Recreation and Athletic Center.
 
Coach Jerry Monner's Rams won five events during the two-day competition and piled up 115 points, the most ever scored by a Cornell team at a conference indoor meet. The Rams finished third in the team race behind Grinnell (156) and Illinois College (131.5).
 
Cornell accounted for 11 all-conference awards and exceeded its projected point total by 23.5.
 
Carnes was named the MWC Newcomer of the Year, shortly after anchoring the 4x400 relay of Claussen-Tubbs, Hailey Carolan and Alexa Hugart to victory in a season-best 4:06.19.
 
On Friday, Cornell's winning sprint medley relay quartet of Carolan, Hugart, Carnes and Claussen-Tubbs established a new facility record in 4:15.56, nearly five seconds ahead of runner-up Grinnell. The Rams have now won the relay three years in a row.
 
Carnes captured Saturday's 400-meter title going away with a time of 59.59. She was the only competitor to break one minute. Carnes placed fifth in the 200 (26.66) and also anchored the fifth-place 4x200 relay (1:50.87) in her dazzling MWC debut.    
 
Claussen-Tubbs continued her MWC mastery in the 800, lowering her own school record with a winning mark of 2:14.11. It was the senior's sixth consecutive title in the event (three indoors, three outdoors).
 
Senior Alyza Koppes brought home Cornell's first indoor 3000 title since 2018, crossing the line in 10:10.50. She was a close second in the mile (5:03.36), only .35 behind the winner.
 
Carolan took runner-up in the high jump (5-3) and finished third in the 60 hurdles (9.54).
 
Lidia Dahlman earned a pair of distance medals, placing third in both the 5000 (17:55.36) and 3000 (10:15.22). Mackenzie Engbert was all-conference in the mile (5:06.75).
 
First-year Cora Talbert added a fourth-place effort in the 60 hurdles (9.71). The distance medley relay of Milar Little, Hugart, Josie Schenk and Engbert placed fourth in 13:02.44.