May 7, 2008
Bismarck, ND – For the University of Mary outdoor track and field program, competing at the Northern Sun Championships this weekend is all about repeating and redemption.
The Northern Sun conference meet will be hosted by Wayne State College in Wayne, NE, on Friday and Saturday, May 9-10.
The women’s squad hopes to repeat its championship of a year ago. The Marauders ran away from the pack in 2007 to win the conference title by 47 points in U-Mary’s first season competing in the NSIC. It was also the third straight time the Marauders had won an outdoor conference title and the 12th in 13 years.
Meanwhile, the Marauders men are looking for redemption. In their first year of Northern Sun competition, the men finished last out of the six teams. The Marauders began to right the ship when the cross country team finished 10th at the NCAA regional last fall, followed closely by the indoor track and field squad claiming the NSIC indoor championship in March.
Both head coach Mile Thorson’s men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams should be among the conference contenders for the 2008 Northern Sun championships. According to the May 7 NCAA Division II Track & Field Power Rankings the women rank 15th in the nation and first among teams in the conference. The men’s squad is 24th nationally and second in the Northern Sun.
Several Marauders rate highly in the performance charts entering the conference championships.
On the women’s side, Kacie Sweep owns the top time among NSIC student-athletes in both the 100 and 200 meter dash. Cassie Blazer is tops in both the 400 meter dash and the 400 meter hurdles and second in the 800 meter run.
Mishay Weber is second in the conference in the 200 meter dash and third in the 100 meter dash. Kristen Stewart is fourth in both the 100 and 200 meter dash. Hannah Moen had the third-best time in the 800 meter run and is sixth in the 1,500 meter run. Brianna Perry busted the top long jump effort in the NSIC and is fourth in the triple jump and the 100 meter hurdles.
Alyson Piccolo is second in the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs. Kristen Neumiller is third in 5,000 meter run and fourth in 3,000 meter run. Ivy Roe ran the third best time in the 3,000 meter steeplechase
In the javelin, teammates Holly Hassler, Christy Gabrielson and Sonny Schulz are 1-2-3 in the conference. Destinee Keller is first in the triple jump and second long jump and Ashley Grammens is second in the triple jump.
Also, the Marauders 4x100 meter relay team of Blazer, Sweep, Weber and Stewart clocked the top time among NSIC teams.
Several Marauders have met the NCAA provisional standards in hopes to compete at the national meet, including Sweep in the 100 meter dash, Blazer in the 400 meter hurdles, Hassler in the javelin, Perry in the long jump, Keller in the triple jump, and also the 4x100 relay team.
The men’s team also has several contenders for conference championships.
Jesse Piper owns the top Northern Sun clocking in the 110 meter hurdles, is fourth in the 400 meter hurdles and fifth in the javelin. Chris Faller ranks fourth in the 100 meter dash. Tony Wood is second in the 800 meter run and Matt Neff ran the fourth best time in the 800 meter run. Marauders own the three best times in the 1,500 meter run, led by Matt Neff and followed by Russ Neff and Kurt Rettig. Rettig is also second in the 3000 meter steeplechase. Andrew Reichenberger is third 5,000 meter run.
Among the field events, Josh Obrigewitch has the top NSIC toss with the discus and is second in the shot put. Ben Jacobson is second in the discus throw, fourth with the shot put and sixth in the hammer throw. Tyler Zacher leads triple jump and Jake Alexander second in pole vault. Lance Nemec rates fourth in high jump.
Obrigewitch is the lone Marauder to guarantee himself a trip to the NCAA Division II championship. His effort in the shot put met the automatic qualifying standards. He also has reached the provisional qualifying mark in the discus.
Among the Marauders hoping to compete at the NCAA Division II championships, Piper has met the provisional standard in the 110 meter hurdles and Alexander also reached provisional status in the pole vault.
