BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Gustavus track & field athletes Madi Kes (Fy., Jordan), Birgen Nelson (So., Edina), and Taylor Rooney (Sr., Andover) have been named MIAC Track & Field Athletes of the Week for their performances at UW-La Crosse and MSU-Mankato. Nelson and Rooney are the Women’s and Men’s Track Athletes of the Week, while Kes is the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.
Kes set a school record in the triple jump with a distance of 38-7 at UW-La Crosse, winning the event by nearly two feet past the next competitor. Kes ranks first in the MIAC and fourth in NCAA Division III in the event. She also competed in the long jump and took 12th with a distance of 14-7.75.
Nelson broke the 100-hurdles school record three times on her way to winning the event at UW-La Crosse with a time of 14.58 and then taking second in the event at MSU-Mankato the next day at 14.32. Nelson ranks first in the MIAC and second in NCAA Division III in the 100 hurdles. Nelson also took second in the 200-meter at UW-La Crosse with a time of 25.02, and eighth in the 400 hurdles at Mankato with a time of 1:15.79. She ranks first in the MIAC and fourth in Division III in the 200-meter.
Rooney won the 110-hurdles at UW-La Crosse with a time of 13.72, which broke his own school record, leads NCAA Division III, and is the third-fastest time in all conditions in Division III history. Rooney also competed at MSU-Mankato the following day and won the 110-hurdles with a time of 14.19 and took second in the high jump with a clearance of 6-4.75.