Men's Track sets MIAC record with 21st title

March 6, 2005
For the sixth year in a row it was a St. Thomas men's and women's sweep of the team championships of the MIAC Indoor Track & Field meet. The two-day meet finished Saturday in Moorhead.

In the 21-year history of the event, the Tommie men have now won 21 championships, and the UST women have won 18.

The 21 titles broke an MIAC all-sport consecutive title record as it surpassed St. Olaf's 20-year men's swimming reign as conference champs. The Toms' average winning margin in the 21-year streak is an amazing 85 points. They've won by 30 or more points and scored at least 179 points in 19 of the 21 indoor championships. UST has also won 20 of the last 22 MIAC outdoor team championships.

It was St. Thomas' first MIAC men's team championship of 2004-05 after runner-up finishes in golf, football, basketball and hockey. The women's title was UST's second as the women golfers won last fall. It's the 51st MIAC team crown in cross country and track for 25-year head coach Joe Sweeney.

Coach Steve Mathre's men scored 191 to beat runnerup St. Olaf by 78 points. The Toms started the last day with a 37-point lead then won five of the nine events on Saturday including both relays, the high jump and the 1,000. They also had four second-place finishes.

On the meet, UST received points from 20 different athletes, scored in 18 of 20 events, swept all three relays, had six individual firsts and six seconds. They did it without defending pole vault champ Matt Schroeder, who missed the competition with an injury.

Senior Carson Glad swept the 200 and 400 and ran on the winning 4x400 relay. He now has 19 career MIAC titles in relays and individual races. Sophomore P.J. Theisen had a hand in 46 points as he won the long jump, was second in the triple jump and 600, and ran on the winning 800 and 4x400 relays.

Saturday's highlights were a 1-2 finish in the 200 by seniors Carson (22.06) and Cassidy Glad (22.39); senior Cory Fusco's win in the 1,000 (2:30.92); a 1-2 high-jump finish by senior Joe Thomas (6-6 3-4) and junior Mike Draxton (6-4 3-4); the winning 4x400 relay of Carson Glad, Theisen, Cassidy Glad and Jason Schwietz (3:21.26); and the winning 800 relay quartet of Theisen, Travis Birklid, Gray and Chris Mattke.

Other Saturday scorers were Theisen, second in the triple jump (NCAA provisional time of 46-10 3-4); Bryce Beckman, second in the 800 (1:55.57); Bryan Limmer (2:00.58) and Joe Hoovestol (2:00.69), 7th and 8th in the 800; Thomas, fourth in the triple jump (45-9 1-4); and Jarrod Gray and J.J. Kirby, tied for fifth in the high jump (6-0 3-4).

Final cutoffs will be made late Monday for next weekend's national meet in Bloomington, Ill. The Toms are seeded seventh in the 4x400 relay, and Thomas is tied for fifth in the high jump. others with a chance to be selected are Theisen, 14th in the tiple jump; Fusco and Beckman, 11th and 14th in the 800; and Carson Glad, 14th in the 400.

Friday Men's results
St. Thomas' bid for an MIAC all-sport record 21st consecutive team championship is off to a good start midway through the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Moorhead.

Coach Steve Mathre's team won four events and placed second in two others Friday to roll up 93 points, 37 more than St. John's (56) and 42.5 more than St. Olaf (51.5) with 11 of 20 events concluded. The final nine events will be contested Saturday. UST competed without the defending champ and top seed in the pole vault, sophomore Matt Schroeder who is injured.

Hamline (48.5), Bethel (39.5), Gustavus (36), Macalester (26), Carleton (25), St. Mary's (25), Concordia (22.5) and Augsburg (6) round out the team scoring.

The Tommies have won all 20 MIAC indoor team titles held. With a good day Saturday they can make that 21 in a row, which would surpass the St. Olaf men's swimming reign of 20 straight team titles from 1980-1999. Only two of UST's championships were won by margins less than 33 points.

Friday, P.J. Theisen won the long jump (22-9 1/4) and took second in the 600 (1:13.84) for 18 points. UST got 30 more points as Carson Glad won the 400 (49.35); Travis Birklid won the 55 hurdles (7.82); and the distance medley team was first in 10:35.32 by a whisker with Jeff Goeden, Cassidy Glad, Bryan Limmer and Joe Hoovestol.

Other Friday scorers were Jason Schwietz, second in the 400 (49.88); Peter Rosholt, fourth in the weight throw (52-11); Bryce Beckman, fourth in the 600 (1:14.19); Cory Fusco, fifth in the mile (4:25.88); Chris Mattke, sixth in the 600 (1:16.34) and fifth in the 55 hurdles (8.10); Cassidy Glad, fourth in the 55 dash (6.63); Andy Dauer, fifth in the heptathlon (3,942 points); A.C. Udeaja, seventh in the 55 dash (6.68); Lem Berry, eighth in the heptathlon (3,724 points); Joe Thomas, eighth in the long jump (20-11 1-4); and Brad Hansen, eighth in the pole vault (13-7 1-4).


The UST women (140 points) scored 61 points in the long jump, high jump and triple jump and claimed a 23-point win over runner-up Concordia (117). The Toms scored in 14 of 20 events and had seven firsts, three seconds and two thirds.

Junior All-American Kristal Grigsby scored 39 points as she won Friday's long jump and high jump and Saturday's triple jump and scored in the 55 and 200 (sixth in 26.73). Her Saturday triple jump of 38-6 3/4 broke her own meet record from 2004, ranks fourth-best in Division III in 2005 and was 1-4 inch off the school record. Her Friday long jump of 19-0 broke the MIAC meet and all-time record and ranks first nationally.

Senior Brigid Power had a hand in 32 points as she won the 1,000 (building record 3:01.80) and the mile, anchored the runner-up distance-medley relay and was fourth in the 3,000 (10:29.26). Senior Andretta Colley contributed to 34 points as she was second in the long jump and triple jump (37-3) and ran on the runner-up distance-medley relay and the winning 800 relay. Colley ranks sixth nationally in the long jump and 17th in the triple jump.

Junior Molly Bauman was in on 29 points as she won the 55 hurdles, anchored the first-place 800 relay, was fourth in the long jump and anchored the fifth-place 4x400 relay. Her 55 hurdles time hit the NCAA provisional standard.

The winning 800 relay for the women consisted of Colley, Nkechi Alaike, Dehn and Bauman (1:47.12). The fifth-place 4x400 relay was comprised of Chapman, Alicia Wolff, Mary McKee and Bauman (4:05.15).

Other Saturday scorers for the Tommie women were Selina Dehn, seventh in the triple jump (35-1 1-4); Chelsea Guettinger, eighth in the 3,000 (10:40.19); and Christina Chapman, fourth in the 200 (26.50).

see men's final results here

see women's results here

All-Time MIAC Men's Indoor Track Team Winners
Year/Winner/Points (Margin)
1985: UST, 180 pts. (won by 99)
1986: UST, 217 pts. (won by 134.5)
1987: UST, 134 pts. (won by 15)
1988: UST, 191.5 pts. (won by 88.5)
1989: UST, 208 pts. (won by 122)
1990: UST, 203.3 pts. (won by 110.3)
1991: UST, 216 pts. (won by 138.6)
1992: UST, 229 pts. (won by 110.5)
1993: UST, 247.5 pts. (won by 125.5)
1994: UST, 206.5 pts. (won by 105.5)
1995: UST, 179.5 pts. (won by 66.5)
1996: UST, 183.5 pts. (won by 73.5)
1997: UST, 187 pts. (won by 34)
1998: UST, 230 pts. (won by 127.5)
1999: UST, 185 pts. (won by 75.6)
2000: UST, 184 pts. (won by 75.5)
2001: UST, 158 pts. (won by 18)
2002: UST, 214 pts. (won by 81)
2003: UST, 182 pts. (won by 47.5)
2004: UST, 203.5 pts. (won by 77.5)
2005: UST, 191 pts. (won by 78)

MIAC Team Consecutive Titles (**-still active)
**St. Thomas Men's Indoor Track, 21, 1985-present
St. Olaf Men's Swim, 20, 1980-99

Augsburg Wrestling, 17, 1987-2003
**Gustavus Men's Tennis, 16, 1989-present
St. Thomas Men's Outdoor Track, 14, 1983-96
St. Thomas Women's Outdoor Track, 14, 1985-98
**Gustavus Women's Swimming, 13, 1992-present
Gustavus Men's Golf, 13, 1982-94
St. Olaf Women's Swimming, 11, 1987-97
Augsburg Wrestling, 11, 1975-85
Macalester Men's Outdoor Track, 11, 1959-69
St. Thomas Men's Cross Country, 10, 1984-93

St. Thomas Women's Indoor Track, 9, 1989-97
St. Thomas Women's Cross Country, 9, 1981-89
Hamline Men's Outdoor Track, 9, 1974-82
Minn.-Duluth Hockey, 9, 1953-61
Gustavus Men's Tennis, 8, 1977-84
Gustavus Hockey, 8, 1966-73
St. Thomas Hockey, 7, 1989-95
Gustavus Men's Tennis, 7, 1969-75