Porter aids Women's T&F title

May 12, 2007

Freshman sprinter Sheena Porter had a hand in four firsts Saturday to help the St. Thomas women clinch their seventh MIAC outdoor track and field title in the last eight seasons in Collegeville.

Coach Joe Sweeney's team saw his Tommies sweep the women's cross country, indoor track and outdoor track crowns for 2006-07. It was St. Thomas' 23rd MIAC outdoor title in the 26-year history of the event. Sweeney also saw his team claim its 57th MIAC team title of a possible 75 in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.

UST trailed Gustvaus by 21 points after Friday's events but pulled away Saturday. The Tommies nearly doubled the total of runner-up Gustavus (104). Bethel (93), Carleton (93), Concordia Moorhead (88) and Hamline (65) rounded out the top six. The Tommies tallied 200.5 team points -- the highest women’s winning score since UST scored 235 points in 1996. 
 
The Tommies set three meet records, won six events and placed second in seven others, scored in 20 of 22 events, and received points from 22 different athletes.

Sophomore Katie Theisen ran on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relays, won the 400 hurdles in 62.65, and placed third in the triple jump (37-4) and sixth in the long jump (16-7 3-4). Junior Selina Dehn won the triple jump in a meet record 39-3 1-4 -- the third best mark in Division III this season. It was just one inch off an NCAA automatic qualifying mark. Dehn also took second in the long jump (17-4 3-4), and was sixth in the high jump (5-2 1-2).

Porter swept the 100 (12.57) and 200 (25.47) dashes. She joined Theisen, Shionna Evans and Nikki Arola on the winning 4x400 in 3:54.77. Porter also ran on the winning 4x100 which set a meet record in 47.94 with Arola, Kate Staat and Evans.

The Toms also won the 4x800 relay in a meet record 9:17.39 with Erin Sprangers, Betsy Hupp, Kelly Russ and Theisen. In the 800, Russ (2:16.79) and Sprangers (2:16.93) placed 2-3. Evans also placed second in the 400 (59.06) and fourth in the 200 (26.25). Julie Anderson was second in the 5,000 (18:24.94). Arola took second in the 400 hurdles (63.60).

In the throws, Carol Comp was second in the hammer (153-9), fourth in the discus (134-4) and seventh in the shot put (38-3 1-4). Shara Guidry was second in the discus (139-3) and sixth in the shot put (38-7 3-4). Emily Kuznar was fifth in the shot put (39-5 3-4) and sixth in the hammer (140-4). Also in the hammer, Michelle Binn (140-4) and Shannon Kane (137-6) placed 7-8. In the javelin, Kyley Crotty placed eighth (104-10). In the shot put, Jenna Lewis placed eighth (36-10 1-2).

Anne Iddins placed third in the steeplechase (11:44.44). Alyssa Salomone was fourth in the high jump (5-2 1-2). Laura Janas was sixth in the 100 hurdles (16.08). Meghan Mayer (4:47.73) and Kalsey Larson (4:47.93) finished 6-7 in the 1,500. Arola (12.79) and Staat (13.07) finished 4-5 in the 100.

Jenny Olin was eighth in the 10,000 (39:11.03).

Friday's story:

The St. Thomas women's track team trails Gustavus by 21 points after Friday's action at the MIAC Championships in Collegeville, but a strong prelim session gave the Toms momentum into Saturday's final.

The Tommies (33 points), looking to win the MIAC team title for the seventh time in eight seasons, will look to pass Gustavus (54 points) on Saturday. They have qualified first in the 4x100 relay with a meet record 48.05, and after Friday's preliminary events have 14 individual qualifiers to the Gusties' four.

St. Thomas won the 4x800 relay in 9:17.39 with Erin Sprangers, Betsy Hupp, Kelly Russ and Katie Theisen; scored 10 points in the shot put by placing 5-6-7-8 with Emily Kuznar (39'5.75), Shara Guidry (38'7.75), Carol Comp (38'3.25) and Jenna Lewis (36-10.5; and scored 11 in the long jump with a second by Selina Dehn (17-4 3-4) and a sixth by Theisen (16-7 3-4).

The Gusties had three of their best events on Friday -- they won the javelin and long jump (10 points each), and scored 21 points in the pole vault.

Click here for final complete results:

http://www.gojohnnies.com/trackfield/2007%20MIAC%20Outdoor%20Track%20and%20Field%20Championships.htm