Sophomore Kaelene Lundstrum (Bird Island, Minn.) turned in a strong first day and sits in first place in the heptathlon at the NCAA Championships taking place at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. Lundstrum, who, won the high jump (5-6) and shot put (41-1), sits in first place with 3,015 points. She is 75 points ahead of Lindsay Lange of Hope College (2,940). Senior Shanna Dawson finished 13th in the pole vault at a height of 11-4 1/2.
In addition to her wins in the high jump and shot put, Lundstrum placed 12th in the 100 hurdles (15.65) and 10th in the 200 meters (26.7). On Friday, Lundstrum will wrap up the heptathlon with the long jump at 2:00, the javelin at 2:30, and the 800 meters at 3:00 pm. Right after the heptathlon finishes, Lundstrum will compete in the high jump competition which is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm.
Dawson, a Fairmont, Minn. native, who qualified for the NCAA Championships at a height of 12 feet, 2 inches, completed her standout career with a 13th place finish at a height of 11-4 1/2. The 2008 MIAC Indoor and Outdoor Champion, finished sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.