Men's, Women's Track blast to MIAC team crowns

May 10, 2003
The St. Thomas track and field teams needed a big scoring day Saturday in Moorhead at the MIAC Championships to keep their team title streaks alive.

Both teams got what they needed with plenty to spare.

The Tommie men started the day in third place with 47 points and trailed Gustavus by 30 points. But the Tommies scored a whopping 174.5 points on the final day for a 73-point win over St. John's (148.5). The Gusties were third at 130.

Coach Steve Mathre's Tommies (221.5 points) won the team championship for the 19th time in 21 seasons and fourth season in a row. Led by seven firsts and seven runner-up finishes, UST scored in 20 of 22 events, with 32 different athletes scoring at least one point.

The Tommie women (171.5) won the team trophy for the 18th time in 19 seasons and fourth in a row. They ran up a 56-point margin over runner-up Carleton (115). UST coach Joe Sweeney had 22 different athletes score points, and they scored in 18 of 22 events, with six victories.

The sweep lets St. Thomas finish the school year with 10 MIAC team championships and four second-place team finishes out of a possible 22 championships contested. St. Thomas now has a conference-best 274 all-time team championships.

Both UST men and women seniors swept all eight indoor and outdoor team titles in their careers.

The Tommie men's scoring spree on Saturday included 141 points in just nine events -- 26 points in the 100 meters; 13 in the 200; 16 in the 400; 18 in the 400 hurdles; 18 in the high jump; 16 in the triple jump; 14 in the javelin; and 20 with the sweeps of the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Senior All-American Andrew Hilliard had a hand in four firsts on the meet and finished his career with 16 MIAC championships (indoors and outdoors, relays and individual races). Hilliard won the 400 hurdles (53.66) for the third year in a row and joined an elite group to win four consecutive MIAC relay titles (4x400). He also ran on the winning 4x100 relay and was a surprise winner in Friday's long jump at 22-0 1/4 -- a personal best jump by one foot.

Soph Carson Glad also had a hand in four victories -- he swept the 100 (10.85) and 200 (21.62) dashes, anchored the winning 4x100 (42.35) and ran on the first-place 4x400 (3:17.67). His twin brother, freshman Cassidy Glad, was second in the 100 (10.97), and ran on the winning 4x400 relay with his brother, Hilliard and Jason Schwietz. Roman Cress and Tom Hart joined Hilliard and Carson Glad on the winning 4x100.

Junior Joe Thomas won the high jump (6-7) and was second in the triple jump (46-6).

Other Saturday's seconds were scored by Tore Evenson in the javelin (184-0); Schwietz in the 400 (48.34); Levi Severson in the 5,000 (15:28.25); and Craig Benson in the 110 hurdles (15.05). Thirds were scored by Cory Fusco in the 800 (1:58.11); Will Hawthorne in the 5,000 (15:31.57); Chris Mattke in the 400 hurdles (54.89); Andrew Kisielius in the triple jump (45-9 1/4); and Dave Diercks in the javelin (174-2).

Fourths were scored by Cress in the 100 (10.98); Robert Ware in the 400 (49.36); and J.J. Kirby in the high jump (6-1 1/4). Sixths were scored by Shaun Sharpe in the 400 (49.68); Brock Stepan in the 1,500 (4:10.89); and Jarrod Gray in the high jump (6-1 1/4). Sevenths were scored by Hezbon Mose in the 100 (11.19); Hart in the 200 (22.49); Sean Brenckman in the 5,000 (15:41.66); Nick Schleder in the 400 hurdles (57.38); Ben Garbe in the triple jump (42-11 3/4); and Matt McLaughlin in the shot out (45-7 3/4). Eighths were scored by Hart in the 100 (11.23); Schwietz in the 200 (22.70); Brian Hauge in the 1,500 (4;12.72); Tristan Christ in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:51.92); and Jason Larson in the decathlon.

On the women's side, junior All-American Karolien Bastiaens broke her MIAC outdoor record in the pole vault with a meet and stadium record height of 12-5 1/4. That improves her NCAA automatic height by one inch. Bastiaens also led off on the winning 4x100 relay (48.90).

Senior sprinters Jill Ylonen and Heidi Vogel joined a select group to run on four consecutive MIAC 4x100 relay title teams. Both runners also ran on the winning 4x400 relay. Vogel also won the 200 dash (25.51) and had six top-five finishes on the weekend. She finished her career as a 27-time all-conference performer (top-three placing) and had 37 career top-five MIAC finishes indoors and outdoors. Vogel took third in the 100 (12.50); third in the triple jump (34-6 3/4); and fifth in Friday's long jump (16-9 3/4).

Besides winning the 4x100, Ylonen was fourth in the 100 (12.54) and third in the 200 (25.83) after taking second in Friday's long jump (17-1 1/4). She finishes her MIAC career with 25 all-conference honors.

The UST women swept the 4x100, 4x400 (4:01.79) and 4x800 relays. Freshman Mollie Hupp also won the 400 meters (58.43) and joined Teresa Smock and Brigid Power on the winning 4x400. Alysia Wolff also ran on the winning 4x100. Katie Joyce ran on the winning 4x400.

Seconds were scored by Smock in the 800 (2:17.86); and Kristal Grigsby in the triple jump (35-6 1/2). A third also was scored by Power in the 1,500 (4:49.16). A fourth was scored by Christie Thames in the pole vault. A fifth was scored by Mary McKee in the 400 (61.64). Sevenths were scored by Tish Dusich in the steeplechase (11:56.86); Wolff in the 400 (62.43); Nicole Gurgel in the 5,000 (18:53.39); and Crystal Baloun in the hammer (127-9). And eighths were scored by Dusich in the 800; and Chelsea Guettinger in the 5,000 (18:55.48).

The Tommie men and women will have some athletes compete this week in a couple of last-chance qualifying meets for nationals, including one at St. Thomas Friday. The Division III Championships for men and women will be held in New York May 22-24.

see link to final results here