SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Augustana men's and women's track and field teams each placed second after the final day of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The men tallied 92 total points and the women collected 109 for the best combined finish out of any other NSIC team.

"We are extremely proud of both teams performance this past weekend at the NSIC Championships," head coach Tracy Hellman said. "We had goals of top two finishes in both the men and women and we were able to accomplish that goal. We started a bit slow on Friday with our events but we finished with a great day two that propelled us to runner-up finishes in both."

Leah Seivert and Adam Braun both set new NSIC records on the final day, while 11 Vikings finished in the top-five.

Breaking her second NSIC record, Seivert found herself battling against Sasha Hovind of Northern State for the second time this weekend, but this time in the women's 5,000-meter run. The Sibley, Iowa native broke away the final two laps to break the NSIC record provisionally qualifying with a time of 16:47.56 which was set back in 1982 by Minnesota State's Lynn Nelson. With this mark, Seivert ranks 15th in the nation.

Meritxell Delgado also competed in the women's 5,000-meter race taking third with a time of 17:22.67.

Braun dominated the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase to set a new NSIC record with a provisionally qualifying time of 9:00.09, which ranks 15th in the nation. With this mark, Braun crushes Mike Francis' of MSU-Moorhead's record of 9:07.24 which was set back in 1974. 

After taking the top mark yesterday in the 10,000-meter run, Paul Yak also took a top-five mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase provisionally qualifying with a time of 9:15.85 to place fourth overall. The Storm Lake, Iowa native led the Vikings in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:54.21 to take fourth, which ranks 15th in the nation.

Irene Almarcha started the Vikings off on the right page earning 10 points taking first in the 100-meter hurdles. The sophomore provisionally qualified with a time of 14.18, while Calliann Brunswig took sixth place clocking a time of 14.64.

In the men's 110-meter hurdles, Ryan Heuer placed fourth with a new personal-best time of 14.69.

For the third consecutive season, Kayla Mescher takes home the 400-meter hurdles title after clocking a time of 1:00.90. Valerie Moos followed closely behind Mescher placing fourth with a provisionally qualifying time of 1:02.31.

Anne Parsley placed second in the women's 400-meter dash provisionally qualifying with a time of 55.67. In the men's 400-meter hurdles, Heuer led the Vikings with a third place finished after clocking a new personal-best time of 52.77. Jason Greenway took fourth with a personal-best time of 53.81.

Justin Greenway took fifth in the 100-meter dash with a new personal-best time of 10.85.

Senior CJ Ham earns second place overall in the men's shot put provisionally qualifying with a heave of 16.19 meters (53 feet, 0.25 inches). Kristi Porter finishes second in the women's javelin with a season best throw of 38.99 meters (127 feet, 11 inches).

The men's and women's 4x400-meter relay teams scored the final points for the Vikings. The men's team of Chris Sharpe, Jeremy Botzet, Justin Greenway, and Thomas Sittig took sixth with a time of 3:20.04. The women's team of Parsley, Charissa Etrheim, Carina Hofmeister, and Mescher placed second with a time of 3:46.77.

The men's 92-point total was second to Minnesota State's 202.50 and the women's second-place sum of 109 points fell short of champion U-Mary's 162 points.

"We always have high expectations and goals with both our programs and I was pleased to see us perform at a high level to finish out the championships," Hellman said. "We are looking forward to the NCAA Championships with our athletes who qualified."

Augustana now awaits the NCAA release of national-meet qualifiers for the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which will take place in Allendale, Mich. on May 21-23.