Track & Field teams set to compete at UMAC Outdoor Championship
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ST. PAUL – Big Cat Stadium at the University of Minnesota Morris in Morris, Minn. is set to host six men’s and six women’s track & field teams this Saturday for the 2013 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
In men’s action the College of Saint Scholastica, who claimed the UMAC Outdoor title in 2012, looks to take home the trophy for the second consecutive year. The Saints feature several defending UMAC Outdoor Champions including Justin Hanson and Charlie Habermann. Hanson is the reigning medal winner in both the 110 meter hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles and holds the UMAC Outdoor record in both events. Habermann will look to defend his 2012 titles the 5000 meter run and the steeplechase. Just last weekend Habermann broke the St.Scholastica school record in the steeple chase, shattering his own personal best by 29 seconds. The Saints also boast 2013 UMAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet Samora Johnson as well as the 2013 Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet Corey Anderson.
The University of Minnesota Morris , who took second in last year’s championship meet after being crowned champions in 2010 and 2011, returns 2012 UMAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Meet Ryan DeRoeck. DeRoeck earned the honor after finishing in first place in both the high jump and the triple jump. The Cougars look to defend their 2012 titles in the 4 x 100, 4 x 400, and 4 x 800 meter relays. Watch for Zeke Miller in the 100 and 200 meter dash and freshman distance runner Chalmer Combellick as he competes in his first UMAC Outdoor Championship on Saturday.
Mark Meredith of Northwestern College looks to add to mix in the javelin. In his first-ever collegiate season competing in the event, Meredith has finished in first place twice and is currently ranked second in Northwestern’s all-time marks. Freshmen DeAndre’ Floyd and Isaac Siekawitch also look to make an impact for the Eagles in the 400 meter dash and relay events.
Martin Luther College returns 2012 All-UMAC performer John Wildauer to the field as well as javelin thrower Philip Loescher. Loescher has finished fourth or better in each outing this season. Freshmen Todd Brassow broke the Knights’ school record in the high jump just last weekend with a jump of 1.98m and hopes to match or better that performance on Saturday.
North Central is led by sophomore Jake Guttormson who will compete in the 5k on Saturday. His career personal best race came at the Hamline Invitational on April 6 when he ran to a 17:44.2. Guttormson was sixth in the 5k at the UMAC Indoor Championships earlier this season. Freshman Brock Williamson has made his debut on the college track with several performances in the mid-distances including the 800 and 1500m.
Rounding out the men’s championship field is Bethany Lutheran College. The Vikings will compete in the UMAC Outdoor Championship for the first time in 2013 as they are in their first year of sponsoring track and field as a varsity sport. They finished third overall in the 2013 UMAC Indoor Championship. Watch for freshmen Deon Wright who has had a standout season in the long jump and sprint events.
St. Scholastica has dominated the all-time track and field championships list on the women’s side having won the last eight UMAC titles. The Saints return numerous 2012 medal winners to the field this weekend in Rachel Thelen (100 meter dash), Laurel Ohaju (200 meter dash and 400 meter dash), Chelsea Johnson (5000 meter run and steeplechase), Tracy Persish (long jump), Rachel Miller (triple jump) and 2012 Field Athlete of the Meet Becky Huberty (shot put and hammer throw). Miller broke her own program record in the triple jump last week to win the event with a mark of 11.76m. That mark is currently ranked sixth in NCAA Division III this season. The Saints also look to defend their 2012 titles in the 4 x 100, 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays.
Kaylie Clark of Minnesota Morris will look to defend her 2012 javelin title. This season Clark has continued to impress in the event as she took second at the Gustavus Drake Alternative. The Cougars also return last year’s 100 meter hurdle medal winner Melissa Denler. After finishing third in the high jump and 100 meter hurdles last weekend, watch for Kaitlinn Kann to continue her successful freshmen campaign on Saturday.
For Northwestern, Karina Nordrum returns in the field events. Last week, Nordrum’s distance of 34.05 meters in the discus was a personal best, as was her hammer throw of 40.1 meters which fell just a few feet shy of the Eagles' all-time record. Jessica Beran has also been solid for the Eagles this season in the 800 meter run and looks to continue that consistency on Saturday.
Distance runner Emilee Koltz has competed well for the Knights this year with top twenty finishes in both the 800 meter and 1500 meter runs. Knights to watch for are Alex Anthon and Hannah Hackbarth. Anthon finished seventh in the 100 meter hurdles at the Gustavus Drake Alternative last weekend and Hackbarth placed eighth in the steeplechase at Carleton posting at time of 13:08.56.
North Central will be led by freshman thrower Samantha Olson who has debuted in the shot put and discus. Olson set the Rams Indoor shot put record at the 2013 UMAC Indoor Championship in February where she was sixth overall. Outdoors, Olson has moved into second place in school history in both the shot put and discus. Sophomore Amanda Schexneider is bouncing back from an injury in 2012 that kept her off the track and was able to take sixth place in the 5000m at the UMAC Indoor Championship. Her outdoor season has illustrated her potential improvements and she should be in the mix to score again on Saturday.
The final team in Saturday’s women’s field is Bethany Lutheran. The Vikings will compete in the UMAC Outdoor Championship for the first time in 2013 as they are in their first year of sponsoring track and field as a varsity sport. They finished third overall in the 2013 UMAC Indoor Championship where Breanne Perlwitz became the first Viking to earn All-Conference honors.
Saturday’s field events begin at 12 p.m. before the preliminary running events take place between 1-2 p.m. Finals for running events will begin at 2 p.m.