Ruehl's three-peat headlines women's indoor track and field awards
ST. PAUL, Minn.--- For the third time in as many seasons, the 2018 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship saw Svenja Ruehl of the University of Wisconsin-Superior win both vertical jump events. And now, for the third-straight year, Ruehl has been selected as the Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet headlining the post-conference meet awards announced Tuesday.
In addition to Ruehl's top field honor, team champion College of St. Scholastica was also well-represented as Head Coach Todd Bouchie was selected by his peers as Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and senior distance star Casey Hovland was named the Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet by the conference coaches.
Ruehl led her Yellowjacket squad to a near upset of the Saints heading into the final few events of competition. The senior jumper did all she could by sweeping the jumps for a third year in a row in record-setting fashion. On the opening day of competition Friday, Ruehl broke her own previous meet record in the long jump with a winning jump of 5.39 meters (17-8.25).Though it wasn't her season best mark, Ruehl still ranks in the top 35 nationally in the event and is second in the Central Region.
The following day, Ruehl was even more impressive as she set a new facility record – in the Yellowjackets' own Lydia C. Therig Fieldhouse – for the triple jump with a mark of 11.51 meters (37-9.25). This was a season-best mark for the senior who is no stranger to national competition in the triple. Her mark is currently 22nd in Division III and just outside of contention for national championship. Ruehl also collected a second-place finish in the 60-meter dash to add to the Yellowjackets' impressive showing.
As dominant as Ruehl was in the jump pits, Hovland was just as commanding in the distance events. The Saint standout anchored a strong showing for her squad Friday winning the 5,000-meter run by a landslide. Hovland crushed the competition clocking a time of 17:01.41 that was over 2:30 faster than the next finisher. She shattered her own meet record from 2016 by over a minute and her time was 11 seconds faster than the previous facility record that stood for 10 years. Her converted time of 16:53.65 ranks third in Division III and should easily qualify her for the national championship meet.
Hovland followed up her Friday performance with another win in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:41.39. While she didn't set any records, she outpaced the competition by 33 seconds in the win. This season, Hovland's best converted time in the event ranks her 16th nationally which gives her a solid shot at the Division III meet in a second event. Both of Hovland's 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter times this season are the best in the Central Region this winter.
In addition to Hovland's two event wins, Bouchie coached the champion Saints to five other event titles to lead all teams at the meet with seven. The Saints collected 195.5 points to hold off the Yellowjackets in the final three events of the day by 16.5 points after coming from behind on the second day of competition. Bouchie's squad also tied with Wisconsin-Superior in the number of individuals to earn all-conference accolades with eight. The Saints have now won two consecutive indoor championships and are the only team to ever win the UMAC Women's Indoor title going a perfect 9-of-9.
Hovland and Ruehl were just two of three athletes who were conference champions in multiple events. Sammi Argir of the Saints was the only other athlete to win multiple events and was the only woman to take the top spot in three different events. Senior sprinter Argir set a new meet record in both the prelims (8.03) and final (7.97) en route to victory in the 60-meter dash. She also topped the 200-meter field and anchored the 4 x 400-meter relay that sealed the team victory for the Saints in the final event of the meet.
The all-conference list includes individuals who placed first or second in an event and individuals of first-place relay squads. Argir, Hovland and Ruehl were among nine women who earned All-UMAC honors in two or more events. The other six individuals include Maria Mazo (Wisconsin-Superior), Katherine Novak (Minnesota Morris), Taylor Phillips (Wisconsin-Superior), Sarah Presler (Bethany Lutheran College), Breanna Shofner (St. Scholastica) and Valerie Rowe (Wisconsin-Superior).
Wisconsin-Superior won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season. Each team also had one representative named to the individual sportsmanship award list.
Track Athlete of the Meet Award – Casey Hovland, Sr., St. Scholastica
Field Athlete of the Meet Award – Svenja Ruehl, Sr., Wisconsin-Superior
Coach of the Year Award – Todd Bouchie, St. Scholastica
UMAC All-Conference
| Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown/High School |
| Sammi Argir |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
Chisholm, Minn./Hibbing |
| Melina Avinon |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
San Martin de los Andes, Argentina/Ontario Hockey Academy |
| Emily Ciesynski |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
Blaine, Minn./Blaine |
| Emily Conley |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
Marinette, Wis./Marinette |
| Kirsten Elyea |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
Hartley, Iowa/Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn |
| Brooke Hogan |
Minnesota Morris |
So. |
Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls |
| Casey Hovland |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
North Branch, Minn./North Branch |
| Anika Kling |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
Hudson, Wis./Hudson |
| Kari Marzinske |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
South St. Paul, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran |
| Maria Mazo |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Hendaye, France/Irungo La Salle |
| Molly McGrath |
Minnesota Morris |
Sr. |
Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine |
| Katherine Novak |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park |
| Aria Plewa |
St. Scholastica |
Fy. |
Duluth, Minn./Duluth East |
| Taylor Phillips |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Superior, Wis./Superior |
| Kelli Praska |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Eagan, Minn./Eagan |
| Sarah Presler |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley |
| Valerie Rowe |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Ironwood, Mich./A.D.Johnston |
| Svenja Ruehl |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
Kirchuers, Germany/Gymnasium Philippinum Marburg |
| Morgan Sauer |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
Lismore, Minn./Adrian |
| Kate Schwerman |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fy. |
Waukesha, Wis./West |
| Mikaela Shepard |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Blaine, Minn./Blaine |
| Breanna Shofner |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
International Falls, Minn./Falls |
| Brianna Soutthivong |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
Mountain Lake, Minn./Mountain Lake |
| Natalie St. Marie |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis |
| Claire Sulflow |
Northwestern |
Fy. |
Montevideo, Minn./Montevideo |
| LeAnn Torgerson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors |
| Hannah Van Buesekom |
Northwestern |
Fy. |
Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View |
UMAC Individual Event Champions
| Name |
Event(s) |
School |
Year |
Hometown/High School |
| Sammi Argir |
60-meter Dash, 200-meter Dash,
4 x 400-meter Relay |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
Chisholm, Minn./Hibbing |
| Melina Avinon |
4 x 400-meter Relay |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
San Martin de los Andes, Argentina/Ontario Hockey Academy |
| Emily Ciesynski |
400-meter Dash |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
Blaine, Minn./Blaine |
| Kirsten Elyea |
Distance Medley Relay |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
Hartley, Iowa/Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn |
| Casey Hovland |
3,000-meter Run, 5,000-meter Run |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
North Branch, Minn./North Branch |
| Anika Kling |
4 x 400-meter Relay |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
Hudson, Wis./Hudson |
| Kari Marzinske |
High Jump |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
South St. Paul, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran |
| Maria Mazo |
60-meter Hurdles |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Hendaye, France/Irungo La Salle |
| Aria Plewa |
Mile Run |
St. Scholastica |
Fy. |
Duluth, Minn./Duluth East |
| Kelli Praska |
800-meter Run |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Eagan, Minn./Eagan |
| Sarah Presler |
Distance Medley Relay |
Bethany Lutheran |
Fy. |
Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley |
| Taylor Phillips |
Shot Put |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Superior, Wis./Superior |
| Valerie Rowe |
4 x 200-meter Relay |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Jr. |
Ironwood, Mich./A.D.Johnston |
| Svenja Ruehl |
Long Jump, Triple Jump |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Sr. |
Kirchuers, Germany/Gymnasium Philippinum Marburg |
| Morgan Sauer |
Distance Medley Relay |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
Lismore, Minn./Adrian |
| Kate Schwerman |
4 x 200-meter Relay |
Wisconsin-Superior |
Fy. |
Waukesha, Wis./West |
| Mikaela Shepard |
4 x 200-meter Relay |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Blaine, Minn./Blaine |
| Breanna Shofner |
4 x 400-meter Relay |
St. Scholastica |
Jr. |
International Falls, Minn./Falls |
| Brianna Soutthivong |
Distance Medley Relay |
Bethany Lutheran |
Jr. |
Mountain Lake, Minn./Mountain Lake |
| Natalie St. Marie |
Weight Throw |
St. Scholastica |
So. |
St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis |
| LeAnn Torgerson |
4 x 200-meter Relay |
Wisconsin-Superior |
So. |
Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors |
| Hannah Van Buesekom |
Pole Vault |
Northwestern |
Fy. |
Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View |
UMAC Sportsmanship Awards
Team Award – Wisconsin-Superior
Bethany Lutheran – Arianna Emmons, Sr., Northwood, Iowa/Homeschool
Crown – Marina Schwanke, Sr., Spring Valley, Minn./Kingsland
Minnesota-Morris – Katherine Novak, Jr., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park
Northwestern – Chloe Gault, So., Winchester, Calif./Temecula
St. Scholastica – Emily Namyst, Jr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial
Wisconsin-Superior – Hannah Kivela, Fy., Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing