DAY 1 RESULTS
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Augustana's Runa Falch and Andrea Whitney set conference records in the women's 10,000-meter run and high jump to help the Viking women sit in first place in the team standings with 61 points after the opening day of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship in Aberdeen, S.D.
The Augustana men are tied for seventh with 20 points.
Runa Falch torched the 10,000, logging a time of 37.11.55. She broke the previous record of 37:15.24 set by Minnesota Duluth's Morgan Place in 2009.
The Vikings placed four in the top five of the women's 10,000. Leah Hansen (37.31.83) was third, Kyle Blakeslee (37:35.90) was fourth and Miriam Hovda (37:57.90) was fifth. Travis Beniak was second in the men's competition with a time of 31:56.27. Paul Yak was fifth (32:05.12), and Ryan Evans (32:06.48) was sixth.
Whitney cleared 5 feet, 9.25 inches to automatically qualify in the event and top the previous record of 5 feet, 8.5 inches set by MSU Moorhead's Ashley Roemer in 2008. Katie Guse was second with a jump of 5 feet, 6 inches, and Karissa Pepin tied for seventh at 5 feet, 2.25 inches. The high jump was moved indoors because of weather conditions.
Colleen Everson captured fourth-place honors in the women's long jump, leaping 18 feet, 2.25 inches.
Noel Bentele was seventh in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 155 feet, 3 inches.
Dylan Buehler finished fourth in the men's javelin after a launch of 181 feet.
Holly Bloom tied for sixth in the women's pole vault by clearing 11 feet, 1.75 inches.
Falch had the top time in the prelims of the women's 1,500-meter run, coming in at 4:46.71. Molly Kokesh will also run in the finals after turning the fourth-best time of 4:53.75; Kristin Brondbo also advances after having the eighth-fastest time at 4:54.81. Tom Karbo recorded the fastest time in the men's prelims at 4:11.00; Halvard Lange (second, 4:11.70) and Jordan Slusser (fourth, 4:11.78) will also move on.
The Vikings moved four athletes onto the finals of the 800-meter run. For the women, Kokesh registered the top time in the prelims, clocking in at 2:17.18. Brondbo was second (2:20.96) and Kelly Kougl was fourth (2:20.62). In the men's race, Aduo Omot had the best prelim time (1:59.35).
Omot registered the top time in the prelims of the men's 400-meter run at 49.56 seconds. Taylor Olson also made the finals with the eighth-best time of 50.51 seconds. Colleen Everson advanced to the finals of the women's event after coming in eighth in the prelim race with a time of 57.94 seconds.
Mary-Kathryn Tonner (1:06.76) and Anne Parsley (1:08.33) advanced to the finals of the women's 400-meter hurdles, recording the sixth- and eight-fastest times, respectively. Matt Winder is also in the finals for the men after a time of 56.97 seconds—fourth best in the prelims.
Diego Oquendo will run in the finals of the men's 100-meter dash. He had the fifth-best time in the prelims at 10.52 seconds, provisionally qualifying in the event again.
Oquendo was also third in the prelims of the 110-meter hurdles at 14.48 seconds. Paul Mallory also advanced with the eight-fastest time in the prelims at 15.39 seconds.
“We're so pleased with both teams' finishes after the first day of competition,” said head coach
Tracy Hellman. “We're in great position to contend for both titles.”
The team standings also include finishes from the NSIC Multi Events, which was held on May 1 and 2.
Tomorrow's field events begin at 11 a.m., while the track action starts at 1 p.m.
