MANKATO, Minn. – A small contingent of the Gustavus men’s and women’s track & field teams competed at the Maverick Spring Invite on Saturday at Minnesota State-Mankato.
Taylor Rooney (Sr., Andover) and Steven Orzolek (Jr., Darwin) had impressive performances for the men’s squad. Rooney won the 110-hurdles with a time of 14.19 and took second in the high jump with a clearance of 6-4.75. Orzolek won the shot put with a heave of 54-4.75. Both Rooney and Orzolek lead the conference in those respective events.
Joshua Beiswanger (So., Mankato) placed fourth in the hammer throw with a distance of 165-2. Wyatt Quiring (Jr., Fairmont) took sixth in the 400-meter with a time of 50.97. Noah Johnson (Jr., Stillwater) and Dylan Gast (Jr., Dellwood) both ran the 800-meter, taking 10th and 11th place, respectively, with times of 2:01.47 and 2:01.72.
Birgen Nelson (So., Edina) and Doris-Klein Mor (Jr., Saint Peter) highlighted the women’s squad. Nelson took second in the 100-hurdles with a time of 14.32, breaking her own school record set the previous day at UW-La Crosse. Nelson also took eighth in the 400-hurdles, clocking in at 1:15.79. Mor placed second in the pole vault, clearing a height of 10-11.75.
Elizabeth Donnelly (So., Langely, Wash.) took fourth in the 800-meter with a time of 2:19.32. Alexys Guidry (So., White Bear Lake) placed sixth in the discus with a distance of 122-6. Rachel Studer (Sr., Maple Grove) finished seventh in the 400-hurdles at 1:12.80. And Halley Brocker (Jr., Ankeny, Iowa) cleared 4-11 to place seventh in the high jump.
“This weekend we battled some of the best teams in the country and found success,” Head Coach Aaron Lund said. “La Crosse is one of the best teams year after year in Division III and Minnesota State’s women’s team just finished second at the DII indoor championships. Every event group on our team has momentum right now and the positive energy is contagious. There is a sense of urgency to take advantage of our limited opportunities and ‘show the world’ what we can do. With good weather and great competition, our team answered the call with personal bests and school records on the first outdoor meet in two years to win a number of events and have so many now sitting in the top five of each event in the conference standings. I am extremely proud of this team. It has been a while since we have had a home competition so I am looking forward to giving our team that moment next weekend.”
Gustavus hosts the Lee Krough Invitational next Saturday.