P.J. Theisen wins three, Men's Track nears team title

March 3, 2006
St. Thomas won seven events Friday, three by junior P.J. Theisen, as it stormed to a 66-point lead after one day one of the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Northfield. The meet concludes Saturday afternoon.

Coach Steve Mathre's Tommies recorded 130 points and scored in all 10 Friday events with six firsts and four seconds. The Toms have already doubled the score of second-place Hamline (64) and are set to make it 22-of-22 team championships in meet history. Hamline (64), St. John's (57), St. Olaf (53) and Gustavus (48) are battling for second place.

Last year, UST scored 93 points on day one and 98 on day two. The Toms' record winning total is 230 points set in 1998 and their record winning margin is 138.6 points achieved in 1991.

Theisen won the long jump in an NCAA provisional qualifying leap of 23-4 1-2 -- eighth best in Division III this season. Theisen won the 55 hurdles in a school-record and NCAA provisional time of 7.63 -- eighth best in Division III. He also won the 400 meters in 49.86. That gives him 18 career top-five MIAC places in his career with the 4x400 relay and at least one other event Saturday.

Freshman James Ewer won the 55 meters in a provisional qualifying time of 6.46 -- fourth best in UST history. He also took second in the long jump in 22-4 1-2. Peter Rosholt won the weight throw as he improved his provisional best more than two feet with a 58-0 1-2 toss -- third best in UST history and 10th best this season in Division III. St. Thomas also won the distance medley relay in 10:29.84 with Joe Hoovestol, Cassidy Glad, Evan Schwartz and Kyle Brandon.

UST went 2-5-8 in the pole vault with Matt Schroeder (14-10 1-4), Andy Dauer (14-0 1-2) and Ryan Blake (13-0 3-4). The Toms went 1-2-4-5 in the 55 meters with Ewer, Glad (6.59), Kyle Jepson (6.63) and Joe DeFrance (6.64). The Toms finished 2-6 in the mile with Matt Boumeester (4:21.10) and Logan O'Grady (4:25.64). UST placed 1-3-5 in the 400 meters with Theisen, Pat Jager (50.06) and J.J. Kirby (50.91). Kregg Hochhalter took seventh in the 600 (1:16.92) and Lem Berry placed seventh in the heptathlon.

see complete results here, team scores after last posted event