Janna Castellano has the sixth-best effort in the vault this season.
Andy Klaers won the weight throw at the MIAC Championships with a toss of 57-7 3/4.
Gustavus Adolphus College senior pole vaulter Janna Castellano (Blaine, Minn./Totino-Grace) and senior thrower Andy Klaers (Loretto, Minn./Delano) have selected for the field at the 2007 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held March 9-10 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. Both will compete Friday, March 9 with Castellano hitting the vault runway at approximately noon EST and Klaers entering the thrower’s ring at approximately 1 p.m. EST.
Castellano automatically qualified for the 15-vaulter field with a vault of 12 feet, 2 inches to win the title at last weekend’s MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, breaking her own school record of 11-7 3/4 and the all-time MIAC record of 12-0 1/4 set by Karolien Bastiaens in 2004 in the process. She is currently tied for sixth in Division III. North Central College senior Megan Rossi has the top vault in Division III this season at 12-9 1/2.
Klaers is the 11th and final entrant into the field for the men’s 35-pound weight throw at this year’s championships. Klaers’ best mark of the season came at last weekend’s MIAC Championships where he won the event with a heave of 57-7 3/4. Brandon Houle of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has the best throw in Division III this season with an effort of 64-11 1/2 in early February. Houle’s mark leads the nearest competitor by nearly three feet.
Castellano and Klaers Capture MIAC Meet Awards
It was announced Wednesday, March 7, that Castellano and Klaers received special recognition by the league’s coaches at 2007 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Castellano’s effort in the pole vault was recognized as the women’s outstanding performance of the meet, while Klaers was named men’s field athlete of the meet after winning the weight throw and placing sixth in the shot put (46-1 1/4).
Official 2007 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships Web Site
2007 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships – Special Recognition
Women’s Athletes of the Meet
Track: Kaela Schramm – Macalester – 55 dash/55 hurdles/800 relay/long jump/triple jump
Field: Susan Brown – Macalester – long jump/triple jump/high jump
Men’s Athletes of the Meet
Track: Josh Otto – Bethel – 400/600/800 relay/1600 relay
Field: Andy Klaers – Gustavus – shot put/weight throw
Women’s Outstanding Performance
Janna Castellano – Gustavus – pole vault (1st place)
Men’s Outstanding Performance
Matt Schroeder – St. Thomas – pole vault (1st place)
Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year
Jim Timp – Bethel (runner-up team finish)
Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year
Jim Timp – Bethel (4th place team finish)