NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The records didn’t fall by the wayside like the first day of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, but that didn’t keep the smile off of the face of Saint Mary’s University track and field coach Shawn McMahon.
“It was a solid performance all the way around,” said McMahon, after watching his men finish 10th and his women 12th at the two-day conference championships at Carleton College. “We had some really strong showings and everyone ran solid races.
“Overall, I’m extremely pleased with our effort.”
After a day in which SMU broke three school records, Saturday’s second day was nearly as impressive, as the Cardinals shattered two more school marks.
Teri Heinzen (Marshfield, Wis.) collected her second third-place finish — and second school record — in as many days, as the senior raced to third in the 200, stopping the clock in 26.28, breaking her old mark of 26.41.
The men’s 4x400 relay team of
John Kelly (Rochester, Minn.),
Benton Kodet (Northfield, Minn.),
Josiah Ryks (Austin, Minn.) and
Curt VanAsten (Shiocton, Wis.) also etched its name in the school record book, stopping the clock in 3:29.61.
Kelly, who broke his own school record in the 55 (6.59) in placing third in the 55 on Friday, just missed another school record on Saturday, placing seventh in the 200 with a time of 22.95.
Also on Saturday, Ashley Acosta (Winnebago, Minn.) placed 15th in the 1,000 (3:12.65), while teammate
Joanna Pace (Minocqua, Wis.) was close behind, finishing 17th (3:15.32). The SMU women’s 4x400 relay team of Acosta, Pace,
Rachel Folan (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and
Kathleen Pawlowski (Chicago, Ill.) placed eighth with a time of 4:09.68.
Kelly’s effort in the 55 was just the start of the record-setting parade for the Cardinals on Friday, as Heinzen added a school-record time of 7.42 to place third in the 55, while the men’s distance medley relay team of
Peter Borash (Royalton, Minn.), Kodet, VanAsten and
Jake Traxler (Le Center, Minn.) turned in a school-record time of 10:54.38.
Andrew Brueggen (Holmen, Wis.) wasn’t able to contribue to the Cardinals’ record-setting onslaught, but the junior did earn all-conference honors, placing second in the weight throw with a toss of 18.06 meters.
Josiah Ryks (Austin, Minn.) placed 12th in the 400 (51.73), while
Sara Harstad (Chatfield, Minn.) posted a throw of 14.47 meters to place eighth in the weight throw.
Joanna Pace (Miocqua, Wis.) and
Rachel Folan (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) each chipped in ninth-place finishes, with Pace placing ninth in the 800 (2:25.15), while Folan was ninth in the mile run (5:28.32).