Tommie Sports - Women's Track and Field
Drake Relays: Women win DMR, second in 4x800
Non-team scoredat Drake Relays (W), April 25, 2009
St. Thomas placed second of 14 teams in the women's college division 4x800 relay on Saturday morning at the Drake Relays in Des Moines. UST clocked 9:10.41 -- four seconds behind Minnesota-Duluth -- with Kelly Russ, Raynee DeGrio, Erin Sprangers and Katie Theisen.
Russ, Sprangers and Thiesen all ran on the Tommies' first-place distance medley relay on Friday.
UST also placed seventh in the 4x400 in 3:56.09 with Molly Demmer, Shionna Evans, Sprangers and Nikki Arola.
The Toms took eighth of 14 teams in the sprint medley relay in 4:12.28 with Arola, Jenna Ewing, Evans and Larissa Peyton.
The Tommies also has some athletes at Friday's Simpson Twilight meet. Allie Metzler had a season-best time of 18:06.36 as she placed third in the 5,000. Freshman Emma Spoon took 11th in the 1,500 in 5:01.77. Melissa Kuebler placed sixth in the 400 hurdles in 67.16.
Most the field event athletes competed at Saturday's Macalester Invite. Megan Honan won the hammer throw in an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 162-2, which ranks first in the MIAC and 14th in Division III. Jenna Lewis won the shot put in a provo time of 43-3, which ranks 11th best in Division III. Felisha Willaert was second in the discus (139-2) and fifth in the shot put (38-3 2-4). Sarah Lemke was third in the hammer (138-1). Rachel Borka was second in the javelin (99-2).
Helen Shea was fourth in the 3,000 in 11:22.36.
UST hosts a Wednesday Tommie Twilight meet.
Click here to access Drake Relays results:
Click here to access Macalester results:
http://athletics.macalester.edu/custompages/w_track/09_0425_track_results.html
Click here to see Simpson results:
http://www.simpson.edu/storm/men/track/KJO%20results%202009.pdf
Friday story
St. Thomas placed first of 19 teams in the women's college division Distance Medley Relay Friday morning at the Drake Relays in Des Moines. It was UST's first-ever women's victory at Drake.
Despite windy conditions, Kelly Russ ran 3:36 for 1200 meters to start the race and give UST the lead it never lost. Nikki Arola had a fast 400, Erin Sprangers clocked 2:13 for 800 meters and Katie Theisen had a 5:00 anhor alone for 1600. The 11:47.19 time and won by 13 seconds over runner-up Loras.
Last year, the same quartet ran 11:48.80 for second place, four seconds behind winner Olivet Nazarene. UST has placed second at the 2008 and 2009 indoor nationals in the distance medley.
UST's other Friday morning race ended with a dropped baton that disqualified its 4x100 relay.
UST came back this afternoon and made Saturday's finals in the 4x400 relay. The Toms ran 3:55.76 for eighth best out of 31 finishers and the fifth best time in Division III thus far in 2009. Molly Demmer, Shionna Evans, Sprangers and Arola comprised the relay.
Nikki Arola
Kelly Russ
Erin Sprangers
Katie Thiesen
