Mavericks win NSIC Indoor Championship

Men’s track and field team captures seventh consecutive championship, women finish second

Kevin Korbel
Sports Editor

The men’s and women’s track & field teams competed in the NSIC Indoor Championship, a two-day meet of epic proportions on Friday and Saturday at Meyer’s Fieldhouse in Mankato, MN. The men’s team claimed their seventh consecutive NSIC Indoor Championship on the weekend, while the women’s team took second place.

The Minnesota State men’s track and field team crushed all their opponents with a total of 184.5 points for the meet. The men’s team crushed everybody in the tournament, with the second place finisher, University of Mary, having 88 points.

In the 60m dash, Paul Selman (6.91) finished third, Henry Ivy (6.93) finished fourth, and Vance Barnes (6.98) finished sixth.

Tanner Ogren claimed the conference championship in the 200m dash with a time of 21.79.  Also in the 200m dash, Reid Diamond (22.08) finished third and Selman (22.23) finished sixth.

In the 400m dash, Isaiah Pitchford finished first with a time of 48.36 which sets a new NSIC Indoor Championship record. That time converts to a 47.60 due to track size, and currently ranks as the eighth best time in DII this season.  Also in the 400m dash, Diamond (48.71) finished second, Morris Dennis (48.72) finished third, Dalton Bialke (49.76) finished fifth, and Parker Gloudemans (49.94) finished sixth.

In the 600m dash, John Schuster finished first with a time of 1:19.85 which also set a new NSIC Indoor Championship record.  Javon Patterson (1:21.35) finished second and Cameron Crosser(1:23.98) finished fourth.

In the 1000m run, Austin Yardley (2:31.30) finished fourth and Jacob Wahlers (2:32.18) finished fifth.

No doubt, the most energizing event of the weekend was the 4x400m relay for the men. For the 4x400m relay, the team of Ogren, Schuster, Dennis, and Pitchford took home first with a time of 3:20.05, even though Pitchford was injured during the last lap of the race.

Sydne Davis earned first place in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.97 which is a provisional qualifying time and currently ranks as the eighth best time in DII this season.

Logan Bristol finished fourth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.26.

Michael Sandle defended his NSIC Indoor Championship title in the triple jump, taking first place with a top leap of 15.02m (49’3.50”) to earn his second consecutive conference title.  Victor Ogeka finished fifth in the triple jump with a jump of 14.14m (46’4.75”).

Jayme LaPlante took the crown in shot put with a top throw of 16.47m (54’00.50”) and Bedale Naba finished seventh with a toss of 15.33m 50’3.50”).

On the other side of the track, the Minnesota State women’s track and field team finished second in the NSIC Indoor Championship with a total team score of 123.5 points.  The first-place finisher, University of Mary, finished the meet with a total of 150 points.

In the 60m dash Autumn Santos (7.71) finished second and Grace Hartman (7.75) finished third.

For Santos, she had a lot to prove going into this season, and her improvement from last year to get to finishing where she is today has been no doubt a miracle for her.

“Last year, I finished second-to-last in the 60m dash, and the only reason I didn’t finish last was because the person behind me injured herself while running,” she said. “Today, all the work paid off to get where I finished.”

Later in the meet, Santos (25.03) finished fourth in the 200m, while Afure Adah finished second in the 200m dash with a time of 24.70, and Hartman (25.30) finished sixth.

In the 400m dash, Adah (56.95) finished third and Crystal Malone (57.61) finished fourth.

Bobbi Patrick finished first in the 600m run with a time of 1:34.10, Jessika Dieringer (1:37.42) finished sixth, and Sophia Simonson (1:38.28) finished seventh.

In the 4x400m relay, the team of Malone, Santos, Hartman, and Adah finished second with a time of 3:51.08.

Carolyn Hackel finished third in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.75.

Megan Serratore finished seventh in the 1000m run with a time of 3:03.31.

In the one mile run Erin Baker finished seventh with a time of 5:06.49.  Baker also finished seventh in the 5000m run with a time of 17:56.66.

In the triple jump Steinunn Atladottir finished sixth with a top leap of 11.34m (37’2.50”).

In the pole vault Jensen Van Duyse and Tessa Voss tied for fourth place with a top clear of 3.28m 10’9”).

For everyone whose qualified for nationals, they’ll travel all the way to Pittsburgh, Kan. for the NCAA National Championships March 9 and 10, in what will be the last indoor meet of the season.

Photo: (Michelle Vlasak/MSU Reporter)