Women's Track and Field 4/25/2024 8:56:00 PM Jenna VanSickle

Four-Day Flurry of Meets Ends With Records, First Place Finishes, and Plenty of Personal Bests for Track and Field

The University of Minnesota Duluth track and field teams just finished up a four-day sprint of meets, collecting personal best performances and podiums along the way.

The men's and women's teams had various athletes compete in four different meets, starting Thursday with throwers at the Gary Wilson Invitational in Minneapolis. The runners got their start on Friday, at the historic Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. On the second day of the Relays, the teams were also well-represented at the Grand View Viking Classic. Finally, the Bulldogs returned to their home state, with the Drake Alternative in St. Peter.

At the Drake Relays, the women's 4x800m – made up of Franny Seidel, Rachel Boelke, Alaina Steele, and Rachel Ulrich – finished second in the women's college division with a time of 9:09.27.

UMD had three additional notable Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference times at the relays. Savannah Schley ran a 2:11.40 in the women's unseeded 800m, for the third best time in the NSIC. The women's 4x100 – Megan Gilles, Jacqi Rae, Kate Fitzgerald, and Jordan Grell – finished in 48.05, fifth in the conference. The men's side also finished fifth in the NSIC, with Alex Croston, Finn Youberg, Ted Rogers, and Brady Johnson putting together a 3:19.41 4x400m.

The Viking Classic was highlighted by Alaina Steele placing first in the women's 800m (2:21.60) and Jordan Gruenes coming in second in the men's 800m (1:58.75).

UMD ended the final meet of the weekend with dozens of top-2 performances, as well as meet records and personal bests.

In the women's 1500m, the women had a one-two finish. Seidel topped the podium with a personal best and meet record of 4:38.55, followed by Ulrich's personal best 4:40.44. On the men's side, Nick Jacobson set another meet record, finishing first with a 3:57.37.

Rae set a personal best in the 100m hurdles, running a personal best 15.58. She was followed shortly by Bryn London's 15.67. In the men's 110m hurdles, Sam Blomberg's personal best 15.13 earned him first place.

Both the men's and women's 4x100 finished in first place. Emily Anderson, Lindsey Root, Brooke Silloway, and Chloey Evans ran a 49.18, while Nicholas Westphal, Cole Brisbois, Brayden Brakke, and Brady Johnson's 41.67 earned them fourth in the NSIC as well.

UMD topped the podium in both 800m races. Schley ran a 2:11.97 on the women's side, while Youberg had a 1:55.84.

The men had six additional first place finishes in the 3k steeplechase (Alex Heidorn, 9:44.57), 400m (Brady Johnson, 48.74 - PR), long jump (Will Heydt, 6.75m), high jump (Jaden Johnson, 1.98m – 5th in NSIC), hammer throw (Eli Bicek, 50.80m), and shot put (Jackson Weston, 16.19m). Eli Bicek finished right below Weston with a 16.12m throw.

Four-Day Flurry of Meets Ends With Meet Records, First Place Finishes, and Plenty of Personal Bests for Track and Field

Fitzgerald had two top performances, placing first in the women's 200m (24.87) and second in the 100m (12.29).

The meet was rounded out by eight second place finishes. On the track, Brisbois ran a personal best 10.87 in the men's 100m. Blomberg ended the 400m hurdles with a 58.11. Bulldogs set personal bests in both the men's and women's 5000m, with Nolan Bakken (15:43.78) and Erika Swanson (18:06.65) respectively.

The last four second places came on the field, in the women's shot put (Rae, 12.29m), women's high jump (Lauren DuBois, 1.58m), women's hammer throw (Kayce Gielski, 44.64m), and men's discus throw (Colton Kostynick, 49.24m).

Additional Personal Best Performances –

Women's 3k Steeple

Katie McConkey 12:24.35

Women's 1500m

Ella Cole 5:32.31

Men's 1500m

Zack Anderson 4:17.76

Women's 400m

Marybeth Matthews 1:01.29

Men's 400m

Alexander Croston 49.44

Ted Rogers 50.09