ST. PAUL, Minn. — With the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships just a few weeks away, Saint Mary's University track and field coach Shawn McMahon figures it's time for his Cardinals to start hitting their stride.
And what better time than Wednesday evening at the Northwestern Invitational.
The Cardinals got a school-record effort from
John Kelly (Rochester, Minn.) and a one-two finish in the women's 1,500 to highlight SMU's effort in the mid-week invitational.
“This was a great meet for us,” said SMU coach Shawn McMahon. “We had some very strong performances, and with the conference meet right around the corner, everyone seems to be right on pace.”
Kelly clocked a time of 50.40 to etch his name into the school's outdoor record books in the 400, while
Emily Dee (Racine, Minn.) and
Joanna Pace (Minoqua, Wis.) recorded times of 5:02.83 and 5:03.53 to finish first and second, respectively, in the 1,500.
Teri Heinzen (Marshfield, Wis.) also recorded a second-place effort for the Cardinals, stopping the clock in 26.46 in the 200.
Regina Quandt (Minneapolis, Minn.) placed third in the 800 (2:32.60) and Coco Booker was fourth in the shot put (12.29 meters), while
Curt VanAsten (Shiocton, Wis.) was fifth in 110 hurdles (17.10) and seventh in 400 hurdles (56.95), and
Derek Wherley (Missoula, Mont.) finished eighth in shot put (11.45 meters), and 12th in the discus (35.68 meters) and the hammer (42.11 meters).
