The Gustavus women’s track and field team compiled 99 points to place third out of 12 teams at the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The third place finish is the fifth consecutive top three finish for head coach Tom Thorkelson’s squad. The meet was hosted by Concordia College March 3-5 at the Olson Forum in Moorhead, Minn. Four Gustavus student-athletes earned all-conference honors.
Junior Ashley Cronen (Kandiyohi, Minn.) earned all-conference honors in the 400-meter dash and the 800-meter run. Cronen placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.44 and third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:18.91. Senior Ali Cordie (Sartell, Minn.) earned all-conference honors by placing second in the 600-meter dash with at time of 1:37.96.
In the pole vault, senior Kristi Schneider (Hastings, Minn.) and first-year Alicia Blomquist (Owatonna, Minn.) earned all-conference honors jumping NCAA provisional qualifying heights. Schneider claimed the event title clearing a height of 11′ 6.5″, while Blomquist placed second clearing a height of 11′ 2.5″.
The Gusties placed in the top five in three relay events. The team of Carla Smith (First-year, Minneapolis, Minn.), Ashley Cronen, Kelsey Becker (Sophomore, Lakeville, Minn.), and Blythe Bittman (Junior, Fairmont, Minn.) placed second in the 800-meter relay with a time of 1:47.60. The Gusties placed second in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 4:01.76. The team consisted of Krista Cruse (Sophomore, Hastings, Minn.), Blythe Bittman, Ali Cordie, and Ashley Cronen. The team of Ashley Farbo (Senior, Buffalo, Minn.), Blythe Bittman, Heidi Bulfer (Sophomore, Fairmont, Minn.), and Lydia Davitt (First-year, Minneapolis, Minn.) placed fifth in the distance medley with a time of 12:57.11.
The University of St. Thomas won the conference meet by compiling 140 points. Concordia placed second with 117, Gustavus placed third with 99, Saint Mary’s placed fourth with 94, Saint Benedict placed fifth with 91, Carleton placed sixth with 51, Augsburg placed seventh with 49, Macalester placed eighth with 41, Hamline placed ninth with 39, St. Olaf placed tenth with 30, Bethel placed 11th with 27, and St. Catherine placed 12th with 2.