The Gustavus women’s track and field team made a strong run at its first ever MIAC Track and Field title on Saturday, but St. Thomas was just too strong down the stretch and the Tommies (143.5) edged the Gusties (132.5) by 11 points to claim their seventh consecutive MIAC outdoor title and the 27th title in the program’s history.
Gustavus and Saint Benedict each registered four individual event titles, which were the most by any team at the conference meet. The Gusties got wins from Janey Helland in the heptathlon and the long jump and Samantha Broderius in the discus throw and shot put. On day two of the MIAC Championships, Helland took home All-Conference honors in the 400-meter hurdles by finishing runner-up with a time of 64.60. Broderius took the discus with a throw of 131-5 and finished third in the hammer throw with a toss of 158-7. Broderius earned All-Conference distinction in the shot put, discus, and hammer at the two-day meet.
Other Gustavus All-Conference performers on day two included Abby Karl, Megan Lundgren, Laura Secor, Ally Voss, and the 4×400-meter relay team. On the track, Karl took home bronze in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.80, and Megan Lundgren finished third in the 800-meter run in 2:19.25. The 4×400-meter relay team of Danielle Burgmeier, Amanda Iverson, Lundgren, and Karl went 3:57.80 to place second as they were edged by St. Catherine who won the race in 3:57.37. Secor became Gustavus’ first top-three finisher in the steeplechase since 2006, placing third with a time of 11:53.48. Ally Voss cleared 11-6.25 on the pole vault to finish second, earning All-MIAC honors for the second consecutive year in the event.
The Gusties earned big points in the 5,000-meter run, placing three individuals in the top-10. Beth Hauer finished fourth (18:09.36), Brooke Beskau placed seventh (18:14.39), and Kate Eggers came in tenth (18:29.21). Top Gustavus finishers on the track also included Iverson in the 400-meter dash (4th, 58.85) and Burgmeier in the 400-meter hurdles (8th, 67.13).
In the field events, Lauren Rothschiller finished seventh in the triple jump (35-6.25), and Megan Endresen placed ninth in the discus (112-2).