MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The Western Michigan track and field team moved up to sixth place on day two of the 2012 Outdoor Mid-American Conference Championships at Central Michigan University after gains in the heptathlon and the shot put.

Sophomores Andrea Hiler and Chelsea Gerbers both placed in the top eight to score five total points for WMU, who now at 21 points with Toledo leading at 59. Hiler took fifth with a throw of 48-0.50, while Gerbers finished in eighth with a throw of 47-7. 

"They both really got it done for us in the shot put today," said head coach Kelly Lycan. "This was the first time either of them had scored in the shot put and it shows a lot of improvement."

While it was sophomores leading the way in the shot put it was a pair of freshman who scored in the heptathlon After finishing Thursday in seventh place, Kathryn Pickett moved all the way up to finish in third after passing two runners in the 800 meter run, the final event in the heptathlon. Lindsey Hufnagel finished in eighth to earn one point, giving WMU seven in the event.

"I was really happy with that pair of freshmen today," added Lycan. "Lindsey got off to a tough start yesterday and really battled to come back and take that eight spot. Kathryn really showed her competitiveness in those finall 200 meters of the 800 when she passed those two girls to end up with a medal."

Pickett also finished in eighth place in the long jump to add another point to the Broncos' total.

WMU also picked up preliminary qualifiers in the 1,500 meter run, 100 meter hurdles, 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash and 800 meter run.

Rachel Whitley qualified in the 1,500 and the 800, events she both won at last season's outdoor championships. Sophomore Aisha Hodge paced the pack in the 800 with a personal-best time of 2:09.52.

Iris Campbell qualified in the 100 hurdles, 200 and 400, holding the second-fastest qualifying time in the 200 at 23.92 seconds. The Broncos actually qualified three runners, the max a team is allowed to enter into a race, in the 400. Senior Victoria Chatman had the second-fastest time at 53.28 second, while sophomore Andrea Arnold also qualified with a time of 55.04.

Chiara Allen, who also competes in the triple jump tomorrow with Whitney Freeman, joins Campbell in the 100 hurdles finals tomorrow after a time of 14.25 seconds.

Finals of the discus, pole vault, triple jump, 5,000 meter run, 4x100 meter relay and 4x400 relay also take place during the final day of competition.