Feb. 24, 2007
Bemidji, MN – Different division. Different conference. Same result.
In its initial season as a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the University of Mary women’s track and field team won the 2007 NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championship. The Marauders scored 166.5 team points to dominate the meet, winning the conference title by 58 points over Wayne State.
This is the 13th consecutive time the U-Mary indoor women’s track and field team has won a conference title. The first 12 came while in the NAIA and as a member of the NDCAC and the DAC-10. This is the first year U-Mary has competed against NCAA Division II competition.
In honor of the Marauders’ accomplishment, U-Mary Head Coach Mike Thorson was named the NSIC Women’s Coach of the Year. Cassie Blazer, a freshman from Mandan, ND, earned the NSIC Newcomer of the Year award after winning the 400 meter dash and the 1,000 meter run.
The U-Mary men finished sixth, accumulating 51 points. Wayne State College won the championship with a total of 147 points.
Josh Obrigewitch picked up the lone individual title on the men’s side. The junior from Bismarck, ND, won the shot put with a toss of 57 feet – 3 inches, once again breaking his own school record.
The University of Mary women earned points in 10 of 11 individual events on Day 2, and in many cases had multiple placers. The Marauders took first place in four events on Saturday, in addition to one title on Saturday.
The most dominating team performance may have been in the Triple Jump, where the Marauders claimed the top four spots. Teams were allowed to enter up to three people in any one competition, but were allowed four wildcards to add an additional competitor in various events. The wildcard addition played out well for the Marauders in the triple jump.
Destinee Keller (JR, Beulah, ND) placed first in the event with a leap of 39 feet – 1 inch. In second was Ashley Grammens (FR, Lavina, MT), followed by Friday’s long jump winner Kayla Campbell (SR, Bottineau, ND) in third and Olivia Friestad (SR, Rugby, ND) in fourth.
Hannah Moen, a junior from Galesburg, ND, was the fourth title winner for U-Mary today, winning the 1 Mile run in a time of 5:15.62. She also placed third in the 800 meter run.
Several other Marauders placed in two events in addition to Blazer, who had victories in the 400 and 1,000, and Moen.
Marsha-Gaye Knight, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, placed second in the 55 meter dash and third in the 55 meter hurdles. Mishay Weber (FR, Beulah, ND) finished third in the 200 meter dash and sixth in the 55 meters. Sophomore Kacie Sweep of Bismarck, ND, was third in the 55 meters and sixth in the 200 meters.
Other placers for U-Mary include Michelle Huxtable (SO, Riverton, WY) who finished third in the 600 meter run; Brandy DeVine (FR, Bonney Lake, WA), sixth in the 600; Whitney Fridley (FR, Dickinson, ND), fifth in the 1,000; Karolyn Kohl (JR, Froid, MT), third in the 5,000 meters, and; Brianna Perry (FR, Great Falls, MT), fifth in the 55 meter hurdles.
The women’s 4x400 meter relay team took third.
After Obrigewitch, freshman Kurt Rettig (Medina, ND) was the second-highest placer for the Marauders men, finishing second in the 1 mile run.
Josh Dinius (SR, Langdon, ND) and Tim Leier (SR, Esmond, ND) both placed in two events for the Marauders on Saturday. Dinius took second in both the 55 meter dash and the 55 meter hurdles. Leier was fourth in the 400 meters and sixth in the triple jump.
Obrigewitch also placed in two events for U-Mary. In addition to winning the shot, he placed sixth in the weight throw on the first day.
Other placers for the U-Mary men’s team included Kiel Holwegner (Bismarck, ND), who took fifth in the 55 meter hurdles; Brett Linbery (SO, Hopkins, MN), sixth in the 400, and; Jake Alexander (FR, Sterling, CO), sixth in the pole vault. The U-Mary 4x400 meter relay finished third.
2007 NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championship Results
2007 U-Mary NSIC Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship Team
(Photo courtesy Grant Gartland - Bemidji State)
