The University of Minnesota Duluth track and field teams wrapped up the Joe Sweeney Invite in St. Paul late on Wednesday evening. The event – hosted by St. Thomas University – saw plenty of conference-topping, personal best and podium-winning performances.
There were three notable Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference performances. Lucas Selman placed first overall in the men's 3k steeplechase with a 9:15.70. He not only ran a personal best time, but earned the second quickest time in the NSIC. In another first place finish, Savannah Schley ran a 2:11.31 800m dash and set the third best time in the conference.
She was joined by Megan Gilles, Kate Fitzgerald, and Rachel Boelke in the 4x400m. The Bulldog relay team put together a 3:54.39 run, fifth in the NSIC.
On the field, UMD continued to out-perform the competition. Colton Kostynick placed first in the discus throw (46.63m) and teammate Eli Bicek joined him on the top step, reaching 54.75m for a personal best in the hammer throw. He also placed first in the shot put (15.98m), followed by Jackson Weston (15.77m). Will Heydt's 51.97m javelin throw rounded out the men's top-two performances on the field.
On the women's side, Bryn London hit the 1.58m mark in the high jump, placing second. Fitzgerald and Grell sprinted to podium finishes, finishing second in the the women's 100m (12.28) and 200m (26.01) races respectively.
Alexander Croston ended up first in the men's 400m with a 49.61 second run. To finish out the meet, the men's 4x400m team – including Croston, Brady Johnson, Ted Rogers, and Finn Youberg – placed second with a total time of 3:22.58.
UMD track and field will be back on Friday, May 3 for the final meet of the regular season, Meet of the Unsaintly, back in St. Paul.
Additional Personal Best Performances –
Women's 3k Steeple
Anna Palodichuk 11:59.04
Men's 3k Steeple
Nolan Bakken 10:14.40
Women's 1500m
Maddie Verkerke 4:37.32
Josie Bond 4:46.37
Erika Swanson 4:54.31
Ella Cole 5:26.10
Men's 1500m
Austin Antony 3:57.94
Alex Heidorn 3:58.85
Women's 100m Hurdles
Jacqi Rae 15.48
Men's 110m Hurdles
Sam Blomberg 15.11
Women's 400m
Meg Gilles 58.21
Women's 100m
Madilyn Reott 13.69
Men's 100m
Brady Johnson 10.89
Nicholas Westphal 11.01
Men's 200m
Brady Johnson 21.82
Nicholas Westphal 22.37
Brayden Brakke 22.42
Women's 800m
Rachel Ulrich 2:14.05
Ellie Hanowski 2:17.97
Men's 800m
Finn Youberg 1:54.51
Jordan Gruenes 1:54.85
Nathan Amundson 1:59.09
Nathaniel Brandt 2:02.53
Men's 400m Hurdles
Sam Blomberg 57.63
Women's Long Jump
Lauren DuBois 4.64m
Women's Hammer Throw
Svea Smestad 38.45m
Justine Carsrud 41.28m
Javelin Throw
Connor Kostynick 45.57m
Noah Mitchell 33.17m
