WINONA, Minn. — They aren't wearing ruby red slippers, but if you look closely, you will probably see the Saint Mary's University track and field teams clicking their heels together and reciting the infamous Wizard of Oz mantra — “There's no place like home … there's no place like home … there's no place like home.”
No, Toto, this isn't Kansas anymore — it's Winona, Minn., the official home of the 2010 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships.
“It's huge for us to be able to host such a prestigious event,” said SMU coach Shawn McMahon. “Not only is it a great opportunity for us to show our awesome facilities, but it's also nice that we don't have to travel anywhere to compete. Being right here on our own campus is really going to be a big plus.”
Andrew Brueggen (Holmen, Wis.),
Ryan Wockenfus (New London, Wis.) and
Teri Heinzen (Marshfield, Wis.) have highlighted the outdoor season for the Cardinals.
Brueggen enters the weekend boasting the conference's top performance in the hammer throw. The Cardinal junior — who earned All-American honors with his fourth-place effort in the hammer at the NCAA Indoor National Championships in March — uncorked a toss of 56.66 meters at the Central-Iowa Open. The throw was not only the conference's best of the season, but also provisionally qualified Brueggen for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships.
Wockenfus, meanwhile, owns the MIAC's best throw in the javelin (52.97 meters), while
John Kelly (Rochester, Minn.) has clocked the eighth-best time in the MIAC in the 200, stopping the clock in 22.39
On the women's side, Heinzen has enjoyed a banner spring, ranking No. 6 in the MIAC in the 200 (25.80) and No. 7 in the conference in the 100 (12.60). Coco Booker (St. Paul, Minn.) enters the conference championship with the MIAC's third-best throw in the shot put (12.41 meters), while
Sara Harstad (Chatfield, Minn.) is ranked fourth in the hammer (46.70) and
Nicole Heitman (Hayward, Wis.) is fifth in the MIAC in the discus (40.46).
“I hesitate to use the word 'surprised,' when it comes to the performances this spring, since I'm well aware of our athletes' potential,” said McMahon. “However, I am continually impressed with what they've been able to do. A great fall and winter has gotten them to this point and now it's time to cash-in.
“For us, a lot of work goes into getting ready for ONE weekend,” McMahon added. “We're focused on it and I'm hoping for some great things — I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do at the conference championships.”
