Men's Track opens 50-point lead at MIAC meet

March 1, 2002
The St. Thomas men's track & field team scored two firsts and five seconds and took an impressive lead in Friday's first day of the MIAC Indoor Championships, hosted by Carleton College in Northfield.

The Tommies, looking to win the team title for the 18th year in a row, rolled up 129 team points Friday night and lead closest pursuers Hamline (79), St. Olaf (67) and Gustavus (47) with 11 of 20 events completed.

Saturday's events begin at 11:30 a.m. Events are scored with eight placewinners -- with 10 points for first, eight for second and 6-5-4-3-2-1 for third through eighth.

UST winners Friday were junior All-Americans Roman Cress (6.40 in 55 dash) and Craig Benson (7.69 in 55 hurdles). The Tommies also scored a whopping 26 points in the 5,000-meter race as they placed 2-3-4-5-6 with Levi Severson and Nate Coleman (15:06), Nic Maddox (15:10) and Brian Preus and Sean Brenckman (15:15).

The Tommies also scored 21 points in the 400 as they placed 2-3-5-7-8, led by runner-up Andrew Hilliard (50/05) and Jason Schweitz (50.34), Carson Glad (51.21), Tom Hart (51.53) and Shaun Sharpe (51.59).

Other Friday runners-up for the Toms were Bryce Beckman in the 600 (1:14.23), Andy Kummer in the 1,500 (4:00.41) and Andrew Kisielius in the long jump (21-9).

Other UST top-eight placewinners Friday were Andrew Hilliard (6.63) and Jake Barkley (6.75, sixth and seventh in the 55 dash; Peter Bernardy (1:15.44) and Shawn Lohman (1:15.47), seventh and eighth in the 800; Jason Overson (4:01.57) and Brock Stepan (4:04.21), fifth and eighth in the 1,500; Joe McCarney (8.05) and Will Kratz (8.38), fifth and seventh in the 55 hurdles; Aaron Johnson (47-3 3-4), fifth in the shot put; and Tim Cook, fifth in the pentathlon (2,644 points).

see meet home page and link to results here