Women's Track wins MIAC crown for third year in row

March 9, 2003
For the third year in a row, St. Thomas has swept the men's and women's team crowns at the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The Tommie men won the team title Saturday at St. Olaf by a 47.5-point margin over runner-up Gustavus. They started the day with a 19.5-point lead on the Gusties.

It's St. Thomas' 19th indoor team title in the 19-year history of the event -- the longest current team championship streak in MIAC sports. The Tommies have won by 30 or more points and scored at least 179 points in 17 of the 19 championships.

The UST seniors are now 7-for-7 in MIAC indoor and outdoor team titles in their era.

Coach Steve Mathre had 28 different athletes score at least one point, and the Tommies scored in 17 of the 20 events.

St. Thomas won six events and scored 182 points to Gustavus' 134.5, St. Olaf's 102, St. John's 96.5 and Carleton and Hamline's 85. UST soph Carson Glad won the 200 and 400 dashes and anchored the winning 4x400 relay in a meet-record time to lead the Tommies.

The St. Thomas women won five Saturday events and claimed the team title for the third year in a row and 16th time in the 19-year history of the event. The Tommies scored 174 points to top closest challengers Gustavus (109), Concordia (93) and Carleton (91).

Coach Joe Sweeney's team had 16 athletes score points, and the Toms scored in 17 of 20 events. St. Thomas senior Heidi Vogel was among those who received votes for the women's Most Outstanding Performer award. Vogel had a hand in 39 points and she won the triple jump, took second in the long jump, ran on the winning 4x400 relay and also placed third in the 200 dash and fourth in the 55 dash.

The victories also mark St. Thomas' sixth and seventh MIAC team titles thus far in 2002-03, including five in the eight fall/winter women's sports UST competes in (golf, soccer, volleyball, hockey and indoor track). Indoor track joins Tommie basketball with men's conference championships this school year.

The Tommie women scored 20 points in two Saturday relay victories -- they swept the 4x200 (1:45.50) and 4x400 (4:01.57). They also got 24 points in the 800 meters with a 1-2-3 finish by Tish Dusich (2:17), Teresa Smock (2:17) and Mollie Hupp (2:20.55). That trio joined Vogel on the winning 4x400, and Jill Ylonen, Katie Joyce, Alicia Wolff and Molly Bauman ran on the victorious 4x200.

Vogel won the triple jump (35-5 3-4) and Karolien Bastiaens won the pole vault in a meet-record 11-10. Hupp had captured the 400 meters on Friday. Crystal Baloun broke her own school record as she took second in the weight throw in an NCAA proivisional mark of 47-9, and Brigid Power was second in the 1,000 (3:06.45). Nicole Gurgel had 12 points on the meet with third-place finishes in the 5,000 and 3,000 meters (10:36.79).

In other Saturday scoring, Vogel (26.11), Ylonen (26.12) and Bauman (27.25) went 3-4-7 in the 200 meters; and Megan Seibel was eighth in the triple jump (32-6 1-4).

The Tommie men scored 22 points in Saturday's high jump with Joe Thomas taking first at 6-7, and teammates Jerod Gray, J.J. Kirby and Mike Draxton sharing fourth place at 6-1 1-4. UST also scored 19 points in the 200 meters with Glad (22.11) in first, Roman Cress (22.42) in fourth, Tom Hart (22.74) in sixth, and Shaun Sharpe (23.01) in eighth. Bryce Beckman, who won Friday's 600, was second in Saturday's 800 (1:55.12) with Corey Fusco seventh (1:59.22).

The Toms won the 4x400 with Andrew Hilliard, Robert Ware, Jason Schweitz and Glad clocking a meet-record 3:19.05. UST was favored to win the 4x200 but was disqualified after a botched handoff.

Brian Preus scored 14 points on the meet with a third in Saturday's 3,000 (8:42.82) and a second in Friday's 5,000. Levi Severson (8:46.37) and Brock Stepan (8:50.62) placed sixth and seventh in the 3,000.

Andrew Kisielius, who won Friday's triple jump, placed fourth in the long jump (21-2 1-2). Jason Peterson (21-2 1-2) and Adam Aaro (20-11 1-4) placed fifth and sixth in the long jump. Brian Hauge (2:36.15) and Jason Overson (2:36.98) took sixth and eighth in the 1,000; Matt McLaughlin was eighth in the shot put (45-5); and Jason Larson was seventh in the pentathlon (2,658 points).

see complete results here, click on results, look for MIAC

MIAC Men's Indoor Track Winners

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)