This week: Augustana hosts the sixth annual Vance Butler Invitational on Saturday at Howard Wood Field beginning at 10 a.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.
More information: The Vance Butler Invitational honors the memory of former Augustana head track and field coach Vance Butler, who led the Vikings from 1984 to 2001 and passed away suddenly on May 3, 2004. For more information about the event, including a schedule of events, click
here. For results on Saturday, click
here (timing services provided by Prime Time Event and Race Mangement).
Impressive field: Now in its sixth year, the Vance Butler Invitational has evolved into one of the tops meets in the region. The event started with around seven teams, but this year's field will be triple that. The teams that are scheduled to compete on Saturday are from the NAIA and the NCAA's three divisions: North Dakota State, South Dakota State, South Dakota, Black Hills State, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Morningside, Sioux Falls, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Wayne State, Northern State, MSU Moorhead, Buena Vista, Dakota State, Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown, Dordt, Northwestern (Iowa), Martin Luther, Briar Cliff and Mount Marty.
Successful weekend: Runa Falch, who broke a 31-year old school record on Friday at the Stanford Invitational, has the nation's top time in the 5,000-meter run (16:28.57). That time is a little more than three seconds off the South Dakota state collegiate record, which is 16:25.25 (1983). Falch automatically qualified for the NCAA Championship. Kristin Brondbo has the sixth-fastest time in the 5,000-meter (16:47.99) after winning the event at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on Friday. She held the school record for two hours before Falch bettered her time. Brondbo provisionally qualified. Travis Beniak owns the country's best time in the 3,000-meter steeple chase (9:01.24), while Kyle Blakeslee has the fastest time in the women's event (10:38.86). Both provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship. Noel Bentele (hammer throw) and Diego Oquendo (110-meter hurdles) have also provisionally qualified in their events.
According to the coaches: The Augustana women were picked second and men were picked third in the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches' polls released March 29 by the conference office. The women's squad received 100 points and one first-place vote, while the men received 68 points and one first-place vote. Both polls were voted on by the conference head coaches (11 for women, 10 for men). U-Mary was the top team in the women's poll; MSU Moorhead was the No. 1 pick for the men.
| Women's Poll |
| 1. |
U-Mary (10) |
100 |
| 2. |
Augustana (1) |
90 |
| 3. |
Winona State |
83 |
| 4. |
Wayne State |
68 |
| 5. |
Minnesota State |
66 |
| 6. |
Minnesota Duluth |
58 |
| 7. |
St. Cloud State |
46 |
| 8. |
MSU Moorhead |
32 |
| 9. |
Bemidji State |
27 |
| 10. |
Northern State |
24 |
| 11. |
Concordia |
11 |
| Men's Poll |
| 1. |
MSU Moorhead (8) |
80 |
| 2. |
Minnesota State (1) |
69 |
| 3. |
Augustana (1) |
68 |
| 4. |
Wayne State |
53 |
| 5. |
Northern State |
49 |
| 6. |
U-Mary |
44 |
| 7. |
St. Cloud State |
31 |
| 8. |
Concordia |
24 |
| 9. |
Minnesota Duluth |
21 |
| 10. |
Bemidji State |
11 |
Preseason honors: Runa Falch was named the women's Preseason Track Athlete of the Year in conjunction with the Preseason Coaches' Poll. Falch enters the 2011 outdoor season as one of the NSIC's top distance runners after putting together a stellar indoor campaign. The sophomore was named the NSIC Track Athlete of the Year after setting a conference and school record in the 5,000-meter run, clocking in at 16:41.77, at the NSIC Indoor Championship. She also finished sixth nationally and picked up All-America honors in the event with a time of 6:56.96 at the NCAA Championship. At least year's NSIC Outdoor Championship, Falch finished second in the 5,000-meter run (17:25.92).
Qualifying athletes:
| Women |
Athlete |
Time |
A/P |
| Runa Falch |
5,000-Meter Run |
16:28.57 |
Auto |
| Kristin Brondbo |
5,000-Meter Run |
16:47.99 |
Prov. |
| Kyle Blakeslee |
3,000-Meter Steeple |
10:38.86 |
Prov. |
| Noel Bentele |
Hammer Throw |
168-7 |
Prov. |
| Men |
|
|
|
| Diego Oquendo |
110-Meter Hurdles |
14.60 |
Prov. |
| Travis Beniak |
3,000-Meter Steeple |
9:01.24 |
Prov. |
Indoor season recap: The Vikings enjoyed another successful indoor track and field season. Augustana finished second in both the women's and men's indoor track and field NSIC Championship. Augustana's women's and men's distance medley relay teams earned All-America status. Aduo Omot won the men's 800-meter run, Travis Beniak was fifth in the men's mile and Runa Falch was sixth in the women's 5,000-meter run.
NSIC Championship: Augustana had strong showings from both its women's and men's team at last year's NSIC Championship. The women finished third, while the men registered a fourth-place finish.
NCAA Championship: The Vikings sent 10 athletes to the NCAA Championship a year ago. Three--Caitlin Polgreen, Tom Karbo and Aduo Omot--returned with All-America honors.
Coaches' corner: Now in his 11th season as the head track and field coach at Augustana. Hellman has been named indoor Coach of the Year twice, once by the NSIC in 2010 after leading the Vikings to their first-ever conference championship and also in 2006 after the Vikings took third at the NCC Championships. Hellman is assisted by Jim Vahrenkamp, who is in his second season with the Vikings and Jeremy Klaassen, in his seventh season. Klaassen works primarily with the throwers. Chris Parno enters his inaugural season as a graduate assistant.
NSIC Weekly Release
