Men's Track has several nationally-ranked marks

March 6, 2003
It's March, and that means the big indoor competitions are here for the St. Thomas men's and women's indoor track and field teams. The MIAC Championships will be held March 7-8 at St. Olaf, and the NCAA Division III Championships follow March 14-15 in Greencastle, Ind.

The Tommies, who have several individuals and relays ranked in the top 35 nationally, hope to advance at least 10 athletes to nationals.

At the MIAC meet, the Tommie men are favored to win the team championship for the 19th time in the 19-year history of the event. Their 18-year streak is the longest current streak of MIAC team titles. UST has been so dominant in this sport that onnly three times has a runner-up team come within 65 points of the Tommies. St. Thomas has scored 179 or more points in 16 of the 18 seasons and 200 or more points in nine of the 18 seasons.

The Tommie women will try to claim the team title for the 16th time in the 19-year history of the event. Gustavus and Concordia are expected to be the Toms' top pursuers this weekend.

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On the men's side in NCAA rankings, the 4x400 relay unit of Carson Glad, Andrew Hilliard, Jason Schweitz and Robert Ware is seeded fifth with their 3:18.74. Individually, Roman Cress is seeded eighth in the 55 dash (6.44); Bryce Beckman is seeded 14th in the 800 (1:54.44); and Joe Thomas is seeded 10th in the high jump (6-8 3-4).

On the women's side, Karolien Bastiaens in seeded third in the pole vault (12-0); the Toms' distance-medley relay team of Tish Dusich, Mollie Hupp, Brigid Power and Teresa Smock is seeded 10th in 12:06.06; UST's 4x400 relay unit of Hupp, Smock, Heidi Vogel and Jill Ylonen is seeded eighth in 3:57.2; Crystal Baloun is seeded 34th in the weight throw (47-6 1-4); Hupp is seeded 28th in the 400 meters (59.00); and in the 800 meters, Smock is seeded 16th (2:16.74) and Dusich is seeded 19th (2:17.13).

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MIAC Men's Track & Field Rankings:
In men's conference rankings heading into this weekend's MIAC competition, St. Thomas is seeded first in two relays (4x400 and 4x200) and has 17 individual top-three seeds:
.Cress is seeded second in the 55 (6.44), first in the 200 22.00), and fourth in the long jump (21-2).
.Carson Glad is fifth in the 55 (6.54), third in the 200 (22.50) and third in the 400 (49.92)
.Tom Hart is sixth in the 55 (6.61) and sixth in the 200 (22.73)
.Andrew Hilliard is ranked ninth in the 55 (6.66), sixth in the 600 (1:14.21); seventh in the 400 (50.70); and seventh in the 200 (22.99)
.Robert Ware in seeded second in the 400 (49.35), Jason Schwietz is fifth (50.60) and Shaun Sharpe is ranked eighth (50.76)
.Bryce Beckman is seeded first in the 800 (1:54.54) with teammate Cory Fusco seeded third (1:56.60). Beckman is also third in the 600 (1:14.29) and Shawn Lohmann is ninth (1:15.22). Fusco is seeded sixth in the 1,500 (4:01.44)
.Brian Preus is seeded first in the 3000 (8:33.49) with Levi Severson third (8:34.76), Nate Coleman fifth (8:37.78) and Brock Stepan sixth (8:39.27).
.Craig Benson ranks second in the 55 hurdles (7.94) and Jason Simmons is sixth (8.27)
.Joe Thomas is ranked first in the high jump (6-8 3/4), third in the triple jump (45-1) and 10th in the long jump (20-4 1/2). Three others are ranked in the high jump -- J.J.Kirby is fifth (6-1 1/2), Mike Draxton is sixth (6-0 3/4) and Jarrod Gray (6-0 3/4) is seventh.
.Andrew Kisielius ranks second in the triple jump (45-3 1/2) and Ben Garbe is eighth (42-6) overall.
.Jason Peterson ranks third in the long jump (21-4 3-4), Kisielius is seventh (20-9 3/4) and Adam Aaro is eighth (20-7 3/4).
.Matt McLaughlin ranks third in the shot put (46-1 1/2), and second in the weight throw (49-9 1/4).
.Jason Larson ranks fourth in the pole vault (13-7 1/4).

MIAC Women's Track Rankings:
In women's conference rankings heading into this weekend's MIAC championship competition, St. Thomas is seeded first in three relays (4x400, 4x200 and distance medley) and has 18 individual top-five seeds:
.Karolien Bastiaens is seeded first in the pole vault with her MIAC all-time best 12-0
.Teresa Smock is seeded first in the 600 (1:38.23) and second in the 800 (2:16.74)
.Tish Dusich is seeded second in the 1000 (3:01.77), third in the 800 (2:17.13) and ninth in the 1,500 (4:56.89)
.Freshman Mollie Hupp is seeded second in the 600 (1:38.33), second in the 400 (59.00) and sixth in the 800 (2:21.57)
.Heidi Vogel is seeded third in the 300 926.25), fourth in the 55 (7.42), sixth in the long jump (16-8 3/4) and fourth in the triple jump (34-11 3/4)
.Jill Ylonen is seeded sixth in the 55, fourth in the 200 (26.35) and fourth in the long jump (17-1 1/4)
.Brigid Power is seeded third in the 1000 (3:04.42) and fourth in the 1,500 (4:52.62)
.Crystal Baloun is seeded third in the weight throw (47-6 1/4) and eighth in the shot put (38-4 3/4)
.Freshman Kristal Grigsby is seeded seventh in the 55, eighth in the 200 (27.17) and third in the high jump (5-2 1/4)
.Christie Thames is seded fifth in the pole vault (10-4) and eighth in the high jump
.Nicole Gurgel is seeded fifth in the 3,000 (10:44)
.Freshman Molly Bauman is seeded seventh in the 55 hurdles (8.93)