SAN DIEGO – Members of the Gustavus Adolphus College men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the Point Loma Collegiate Invitational on Saturday at Point Loma Nazarene University. More than 20 total teams competed in the meet, which included Division I and II institutions such as Yale and California State-San Francisco.
Sam Fischer (Sr., Sauk Centre, Minn.) and Sarah Swanson (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) led Gustavus at the meet, with Fischer taking second in the men’s hammer throw and Swanson taking third in the women’s. Fischer registered a throw of 50.94 meters, while Swanson threw 45.62. Swanson was also the women’s shot put champion after posting a throw of 13.62 to lead the field. Kara Helgeson (Sr., Ortonville, Minn.) also posted a top-5 finish in the shot put with a throw of 11.58, while Michael Hensch (Fy., North Branch, Minn.) took fifth in the men’s shot put with a 14.02.
Alex Logan (Sr., Chaska, Minn.) and Swanson led Gustavus in the discus, with each registering top-5 finishes (Logan fourth and Swanson fifth) after posting throws of 44.44 and 37.58 meters, respectively. Andrew Puett (Fy., St. Michael, Minn.), Hensch, Keith Maxon (Fy., New Richland, Minn.), and Will Neuenfeldt (Jr., Cottage Grove, Minn.) also represented the Gustavus men in the discus, taking 10th, 17th, 18th, and 27th with scores of 39.76, 37.1, 36.58, and 33.48 meters, respectively. Helgeson, Casie Carlson (So., Hutchinson, Minn.), and Katherine Hoglin (Fy., Edina, Minn.) represented the Gustie women, finishing 12th, 17th, and 22nd with throws of 32.93, 31.65, and 29.21, respectively.
Hensch also registered a top-5 finish in the javelin throw, taking fourth place with a throw of 54.18. Noah Weiers (Fy., LeCenter, Minn.) took 23rd in the same competition with a 36.17, while Neuenfeldt took 28th with a 30.08.
The Gusties featured many of their distance runners in the meet, with Marcus Speca (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) and Austin Zollner (Jr., Oakdale, Minn.) each competing in the 1500 meter run. Speca took 27th with a 4:17.69, while Zollner was in 32nd with a 4:37.15. Speca also competed in the 800 meter run and took 42nd with a time of 2:06.38. Sam Reiner (Sr., Cambridge, Minn.) led the charge in the 5000 meter run with a 16:17.48, while Nathan Hanson (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) took 37th with a 17:29.75.
In mid-distance, Ed ReMine (Jr., Mantorville, Minn.) led the way with a 12th place finish in the 400 meter hurdles after posting a 56.55. Kaitlin Bembenek (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.) took 13th place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:00.75 in the women’s race, while Sam ReMine (Jr., Mantorville, Minn.) took 21st with a 50.83 in the same race on the men’s side.
In the sprints, Ed ReMine took 20th with a 17.08 in the 110 meter hurdles, Sam ReMine placed 39th in the 200 meter dash with a 23.29, Daniel Trentacoste (So., Orland Park, Ill.) placed 48th with a 11.87 in the 100 meter dash, and Bembenek placed 23rd in the women’s 200 meter dash with a 26.69. Trentacoste also placed 48th with a 23.8 in the 200.
The Gusties compete next on April 9 at the Saint John’s Invitational in Collegeville, Minn.