Women's Track takes fifth in team race at NCAA track

March 12, 2005
St. Thomas junior Kristal Grigsby and senior Brigid Power broke school records and had top-six finishes Saturday to help the Tommies post a fifth-place team finish at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Bloomington, Ill.

It was St. Thomas' fifth top-five national indoor team finish and best showing since 1996.

UW-Oshkosh scored 36 points to edge Wartburg (Iowa) (32) for the championship. Amherst (Mass.)(26), Williams (Mass.)(24), St. Thomas (22), Lincoln (Pa.) (21), SUNY-Geneseo (19) and UW-Stevens Point (18) rounded out the top eight team placers.

Power took sixth in the mile in 4:56.98, three seconds under her school record set in 2004. Grigsby finished fifth in Saturday's triple jump with a school-record leap of 39-6 -- just five inches out of first place. Teammate Andretta Colley missed the finals with a 36-3 jump in the prelims.

The Tommies scored 15 points Friday with a 1-4 long jump finish by Grisgby and Colley.

Grigsby's twin sister, Shea'na, a junior at Carthage (Wis.) College, repeated as champion in the 55 hurdles (8.12). The Minneapolis natives now have five NCAA titles indoors and outdoors between them.

Women's NCAA Division III Indoor Track
Top 12 team scoring and MIAC scorers
Wisconsin-Oshkosh 36; Wartburg (Iowa) 32; Amherst (Mass.)26; Williams (Mass.) 24; St. Thomas 22; Lincoln (Pa.) 21; SUNY-Geneseo 19; Wisconsin-Stevens Point 18; Washington (Mo) and Loras (Iowa) 16; Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin-Eau Claire 15 and New Jersey 15.0. Others: tie 46. Augsburg 3; tie 50, St. Ben's 2; tie 55. Concordia-Moorhead 1.

MIAC Placewinners
--Long Jump: 1. Kristal Grisby ST 19-2 1-2; 4. Andretta Colley ST 18-5.
--Triple Jump: 5. Grigsby ST 39-6.
--Mile: 6. Brigid Power ST 4:56.98.
--55 Dash: 6. Tonnisha Bell Aug 7.22.
--Shot Put: 7. Jenna Wendorff St. Ben's 44-0 1-2.
--400 Meters: 8. Angie Pfeiffer, Conc, 59.62.

see link to final results here