MANKATO, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University track and field teams had one final tune-up before the upcoming Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, taking part in the Minnesota State-Mankato Maverick Invitational Friday evening.
 
And against arguably the toughest field they have seen this indoor season, the Cardinals competed as a well-oiled machine.
 
The Cardinals' 4x400 men's relay team collected a third-place finish with a time of 3:39, with the women's 4x400 relay delivering a fourth with a time of 4:15.66, and, individually, Sean Curran (Appleton, Wis.) and Carolyn Gearin (Osceola, Wis.) led the way for the Cardinals, as Curran placed fourth in the weight throw, while Gearin was fifth in the 400.
 
Along with Curran's fourth-place toss of 16.91 meters, the SMU men also got Top 10 performances from Aidan Gatz (Elburn, Ill.), Garrett Jackson (West Linn, Ore.) and Frankie Bakalars (La Crosse, Wis.). Gatz finished seventh in the pole vault (4.38m), Jackson placed eighth in 400 (51.64), Frankie Bakalars (La Crosse, Wis.) chipped in a ninth in the weight throw (15.85m), and Coleton Strupp (Holmen, Wis.) posted a 10th in the pole vault (4.38m).
 
Other top performances for the Cardinal men included: Curran (14th in shot put, 12.49m), Oliver Adamson (Rochester, Minn. / 14th in 200, 23.58), Antonio (Cisewski (Amherst, Wis. / 14th in long jump, 6.22m; and 18th in 200, 24.31), Isaiah Brindamour (Hinckley, Minn. / 16th in the 800, 2:05.00), Andrew Martin (17th in long jump, 6.14m), Quinn Steinbrecher (Holmen, Wis. / 19th in the mile, 4:43.01), and Chris Bulwa (Glenview, Ill. / 20th in long jump, 6.08m).
 
On the women's side, Gearin broke the tape in 1:01.40 to place fifth in the 400, and added an 11th-place effort in the pole vault, clearing 3.20 meters.
 
Other top performers for the Cardinal women included: Sydney Klausler (Lakeville, Minn.), 1-th in the 60, 8.23 and 11th in the long jump, 5.17m and 16th in 200, 27.29), Nathalie Frerie (Bloomington, Minn. / 13th in pole vault, 3.05m), Samantha Kubes (New Prague, Minn. / 11^th in shot put, 11.48m and 13th in the weight throw, 13.63m), and Amanda Tuvey (West St. Paul, Minn. / 14th in the 3000, 11:35.50).
 
Saint Mary's will return to Northfield, Minn., for a third time this season next weekend, taking part in the conference indoor championships, hosted by Carleton College.