WINONA, Minn. – Gustavus track & field kicked off the MIAC Outdoor Championships on Friday at Saint Mary’s University with the women collecting 27 points to sit in fourth place, while the men accrued 13 points and are in seventh place. With the bulk of day one’s action featuring preliminary races, there is sure to be a lot of movement in the point-scoring during day two on Saturday.
Two Gustie women earned All-Conference honors on Friday, highlighted by Annika Poe claiming the discus championship with a throw of 135-11. Olivia Motley also earned All-MIAC by taking second place in the high jump with a clearance of 5-1.25.
“Annika led the Gustie field crew by winning the discus today,” throws coach Tom Thorkelson said. “Tomorrow she hopes to garner another title in the shot put where she is the favorite.”
Birgen Nelson had a big day in her preliminary races. Nelson won the 100-hurdles prelims with a MIAC and facility record time of 13.80. The previous conference record was 14.13 set in 2014, while the facility record was 14.61 set in 2013. Nelson also won the 400-hurdles prelims with a time of 1:01.45, setting another facility record. Nelson currently owns the fastest NCAA Division III time in the 100-hurdles this season and ranks sixth in the 400-hurdles. Danielle Miller will join Nelson in the 100-hurdles finals after taking fifth with a time of 15.31 and in the 400-hurdles as well, taking fifth in 1:08.58. Makenna Huetten will be the third Gustie in the 400-hurdles after taking ninth in 1:09.36.
Elizabeth Donnelly proved to be the favorite int he 800-meter prelims, winning the race in 2:19.94.
Others to qualify for final races tomorrow included Kate Carlson in the 100-meter after taking fourth place in 12.45, and the 200-meter in second place at 25.43. Megan Geraets will join Carlson in the 200-meter finals after taking fifth in the prelims at 26.08. Garaets also qualified in the 400-meter by taking ninth place in 1:00.73.
Iliana Ramon scored in the 10,000-meter by taking fifth place in 37:56.07. Lindsay Bangs scored in the high jump by taking sixth at 1.53 meters while Ally Rakow took eighth at 1.48 meters.
On the men’s side, Wyatt Quiring qualified for the 200-meter finals after taking fifth in the prelims with a time of 22.18. Quiring also qualified in the 400-meter, taking fifth in 49.61. Seth Zeitchick (seventh) and Dylan Gast (eighth) will join Quiring in the 400 finals.
Tyler Smith took fifth in the 800-meter prelims with a time of 1:57.32 to qualify for finals. In the 1500-meter, Tucker Wallin and Jack Degonda qualified by taking seventh and eighth, respectively, with times of 4:05.52 and 4:06.53. Sam Schultze took eighth in the 400-hurdles, qualifying with a time of 57.64.
Isaiah Subah and Alexander DuMoulin both scored in the long jump. Subah took fourth with a distance of 6.81 meters, while DuMoulin took sixth at 6.60 meters.