By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
LA CROSSE, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University men's and women's track and field teams is back in action on Friday, heading to UW-La Crosse to take part in the Phil Esten Challenge.
 
The Phil Esten Challenge Field:
• Hamline, Minnesota State-Mankato, St. Cloud State, Saint Mary's, St. Olaf, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior, Viterbo, Wartburg, Winona State
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Results | Schedule of Events
 
Cardinals' Last Action:
• April 6, 2019 • La Crosse, Wis.: The Cardinals recorded 12 Top 10 finishes — including a first-place showing by Rachel Ohde (Chetek, Wis.) and second-place efforts by David Kemper (Woodbury, Minn.), Kyle Lichttenegger (De Pere, Wis.), and Christian Beamer (Two Harbors, Minn.) — at the UW-La Crosse Ashton May Invitational | Recap
 
Cardinals At Phil Esten Challenge — Their Last Appearance:
• April 21, 2017 * La Crosse, Wis.: Competing in their biggest meet this season, the Cardinals faced off against some of their toughest opponents yet — as 17 different teams clashed at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. Brandon Krogman (Owatonna, Minn.) wasn't fazed in the least by the large pool of talent, as the senior recorded a time of 1:53.17 to win the 800 in school record-setting fashion to pace the Cardinals | Recap
 
Up Next:
• The Cardinals return home to the Saint Mary's Track & Field Complex on April 27, hosting the Saint Mary's Invitational.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019 Men's Roster | 2019 Women's Roster | 2019 Schedule | Record Book
• The Cardinals head into Friday's Phil Esten Challenge having had two of their first three outdoor meets postponed due to snow. … The Cardinals kicked off the outdoor season in style, recording 12 Top-10 finishes at the Ashton May Invitational on April 6. … Rachel Ohde (Chetek, Wis.), who dominated the high jump during the indoor season, picked up right where she left off, winning the high jump at the Ashton May Invitational with a leap of 1.68 meters. …  David Kemper (Woodbury, Minn.), Kyle Lichttenegger (De Pere, Wis.), and Christian Beamer (Two Harbors, Minn.) recorded second-place showings — Kemper placing second in the pole vault (4.60 meters), Lichttenegger in the 100 (10.74), and Beamer in the high jump (1.88m). … Lichttenegger's 10.74 time in the 100 was a school record, breaking his own mark, set in 2017 … Desmond Steward (Bayside, Wis.) added a fourth in the long jump (6.65m), while he, Lichttenegger, Noah Anderson, and Matthew Boone (Mindoro, Wis.) delivered in a fourth in the 4x100, stopping the clock in 43.51. … The Cardinals posted four Top 3, All-MIAC performances at the indoor season-ending MIAC Championships. Ohde cleared 1.65 meters on her first attempt en route to an All-MIAC second-place finish in the high jump, while Steward claimed back-to-back third-place showings in the long jump (6.69m) and triple jump (14.07m), and Kemper closed out his final indoor conference championships with a mark of 4.32m to finish third in the pole vault. … Ohde placed first or second in all seven high jump competitions she was entered in during the 2019 indoor season. … Beamer shattered the Cardinal school record in the indoor high jump at the MIAC Championships, clearing 1.96 meters in winning the event as part of the men's heptathlon. Beamer's mark easily broke the old record of 1.91m, set during the 2005 indoor season. … Lichttenegger shattered the school record in the indoor 200 — clocking a time of 22.60 — at the MIAC Championships. … Kemper broke the 14-year-old school record in the indoor pole vault — clearing 4.61 meters — at the St. Thomas Showcase on Feb. 8. The Cardinals garnered six first-place finishes — and one meet record — at the Luther Alumni Meet on Feb. 2. Ohde led the way for the Cardinals, winning the women's high jump with a meet-record 1.62-meter leap. … The Cardinals boasted 10 first-place finishes at the indoor season-opening Early Birdinal.