Men, Women Track need big Saturday at MIAC meet

May 9, 2003
The St. Thomas men's and women's track and field teams competed well Friday but find themselves chasing other teams heading into the pivotal Saturday events.

The St. Thomas women scored 57.5 points and rail first-pplace Carleton by 3.5 points. Gustavus (36) and Concordia (25) also are in the chase. Coach Joe Sweeney's team scored 26 points in the long jump by placing 2-3-4-5-6.

The Tommie men, who have won 18 of the last 20 conference outdoor championships, have 47 points and trail Gustavus (77) by 30 points and St. John's (51) by four with a majority of events still to go. Three of the Gusties' best events were Friday as they scored big in the hammer, discus and pole vault.

In 2001, St. Thomas scored 57 Friday points and led by 12 into the last day before winning by 50 points. Last year, UST scored 54 on Friday and led by 11 before posting a 64-point win after the last day.

Coach Steve Mathre's team qualified well with six in the nine-man finals of the 100 meters, four in the 200, three in the 400, three in the 400 hurdles, and two in the 1,500. The Toms also have the best seed times in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, and should score well in the 5,000, the high jump, triple jump and javelin.

Senior Andrew Hilliard came up big Friday with a first-place jump of 22-0 3/4 in the long jump. Andrew Kisielius scored three points by placing sixth. The Toms also scored 18 points in the 10,000 with a 2-3-5 finish by Brian Preus (31:34.45), Levi Severson (31:34.78) and Sean Brenckman (31:46.56). UST also scored six points with a third-place finish in the 4x800 in 7:53.68 (Kevin Wright, Robert Ware, Bryce Beckman, Shawn Lohmann), and nine points in the hammer with a third by Matt McLaughlin (152-9) and a sixth by Peter Rosholt (139-9).

In the women's long jump, Jill Ylonen (17-1 1/4), Theresa Meath (17-0 1/2), Kristal Grigsby (16-10 3/4), Heidi Vogel (16-9 3/4) and Andretta Colley (16-9 3/4) placed second through sixth.

UST also won the 4x800 relay in 9:20.45 with Jenny Borofoka, Brigid Power, Mollie Hupp and Teresa Smock.
They added seven points in the 10,000 with Nicole Gurgel and Beth Magnuson placing 4-5. They also scored nine in the javelin with Eria Wetzel (110-4) and Katie Reynolds (110-3) placing 4-5.

The Tommie women need to score well in Saturday's 4x100 and 4x400 relays, plus the triple jump, pole vault, 400 and 800.

see MIAC track meet homepage here with links to schedules, honor rolls, heat sheets, results