The Gustavus men’s and women’s track and field teams are set to host the 2011 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, May 13-14 in St. Peter, Minn. The Gusties will play host to the conference meet for the first time since 2002. The MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will begin with the women’s javelin at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13 at the Gustavus Track and Field Complex.
Men’s Preview
Coming off of its highest finish at the MIAC Indoor Championships, the Gustavus men’s outdoor track and field team is set to make another strong showing at the MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Gusties will look to improve on their seventh place finish from a year ago, using the home track to their advantage this season.
Rookie Blair Riegel is Gustavus’ top competitor entering the meet, ranking in the top-10 in four events. Riegel ranks second in the 200-meter dash (22.02), third in the long jump (22’ 3”), sixth in the triple jump (45’ 3”), and 10th in the 100-meter dash (11.09). Joining Riegel in the sprints will be Matt Dvorak, as he will look for solid finishes in the 100 (3rd, 10:95) and 200-meter (11th, 22.39). Steven Groskreutz is the squad’s top hurdler, ranking second in the 400-meter hurdles (54.17) and third in the 110 (15.61). Along with Groskreutz, Matt Flotterud looks to crack the top-10 in the 110-meter hurdles (9th, 16.11). Flotterud also ranks seventh in the high jump, clearing 6’ 2”.
In the distance races, the Gusties will look to Mark Bartley and Anders Bowman to earn points. Bartley ranks fifth in the 10,000-meter run (32:07.58) and 10th in the steeplechase (9:53.64). Bowman ranks 11th in both the 5,000-meter run (15:31.64) and 1,500-meter run (4:02.83).
Ryan Obele and Mark Stice enter as the top Gustavus throwers. Obele ranks ninth in the shot put (45’ 0.25”) and seventh in the discus (148’ 4”), while Stice has the sixth best toss in the hammer throw (165’ 7”). Pole vaulters Josh Owens and Cameron Clause both rank in the top-five with Owens in second (15’ 3”) and Clause in sixth (14’ 9”).
Rounding out the top field competitors is David Young, Naja Rumicho, and Carl Stenoien. Young ranks second in the javelin (168’ 6”) and Rumicho sits in 11th in the high jump (6’ 0.75”). Stenoien, who placed third with 5,674 points in the decathlon, also ranks 11th in both the high jump (6’ 0.75”) and 14th in the pole vault (14’ 1.25”).
Women’s Preview
With six consecutive runner-up finishes at the conference meet, the Gustavus women’s track and field team will look to use its home track advantage and gun for a title at the 2011 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Head Coach Dale Bahr’s squad enters the event with a great deal of experience under its belt, as eight All-Conference performers return to the track.
Janey Helland enters the meet as Gustavus’ top competitor, ranking in the top-10 in the MIAC in six events. Helland got the Gusties out to a strong start by winning the MIAC Heptathlon for the second consecutive season, tallying 4,595 points at the meet. She also ranks first in the long jump (18’ 8”), third in both the 400-meter hurdles (65.64) and javelin (116’ 9”), and eighth in the high jump (5’ 2.5”).
Gustavus’s other top competitor is thrower Sam Broderius. Broderius comes into the meet as the one to beat in both the shot put (42’ 10.75”) and discus (154’ 2”), ranking first in both events. She has also recorded the sixth best hammer throw toss (148’ 8”) in the league. Complimenting Broderius in the throws will be Megan Endresen, Emily Ford, and Allyson Hannemann. Endresen ranks eighth in the shot put (39’ 3”), ninth in the discus (128’ 4”) and 10th in the hammer throw (142’). Emily Ford has the ninth best toss in the shot put (39’ 2.5”), and Hannemann ranks sixth in the discus (132’ 10”).
Rounding out Gustavus’ top field athletes is Ally Voss and Sarah Baker. Voss is the squad’s top pole vaulter, ranking second (11’ 7.75”) in the event, while Baker ranks third in the long jump (18’ 3.75”) and second in the high jump (5’ 4.25”).
Distance runners Beth Hauer and Brooke Beskau will look to lead the Gusties on the track. Hauer ranks fifth in the 10,000-meter run (37:47.29) and eighth in the 5,000 (18:30.70), and Beskau ranks sixth in the 10,000 (37:56.60) and 10th in the 5,000 (18:34.22). Megan Lundgren is the squad’s top mid-distance runner, ranking second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.22.