Tommie Sports - Women's Track and Field
Theisen, Arola lead Women's Track comeback to title
1st of 12MIAC Championships (W), May 09, 2009
Junior Nikki Arola contributed 41 points and senior Katie Theisen contributed 38 points and the St. Thomas women rallied from a 40-point deficit on the final day to hold off Gustavus and capture their 23rd MIAC team title in 25 seasons at the MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The two-day event concluded Saturday in Northfield.
Coach Joe Sweeney's team had nine firsts and six seconds and scored 207 points. Gustavus scored 173 while St. Ben's tallied 84 for third in the 12-team field.
St. Thomas swept the conference women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track team titles for the third year in a row. It also was the 63rd career team title for Sweeney.
Arola won the 200 (25.60) and 400 meters (57.32) and ran on the winning 4x100 (48.57) and 4x400 (3:51.56, meet record). Theisen won the steeplechase in a meet-record time of 10:50, took second in the 400 hurdles (64.24) and ran on the winning 4x400 (3:51.56, meet record) and 4x800 (9:19.32) relays.
UST swept the 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 relays and outscored the Gusties 69-12 on the track from the 100 to 1,500 meters. That helped offset a deep and talented Gustavus field-event crew.
UST also got 26 big points late with a 1-2 finish in the hammer throw by Jenna Lewis (155-2) and Megan Honan (149-8), and Brittney Daniel's runner-up finish in the pole vault (10-10 3-4). Lewis also placed second in Friday's shot put.
Kelly Russ chipped in 14 individual points including a third-place finish in the 1,500 meters in an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 4:32. Russ took second in the 800 (2:15.63) behind UST teammate Erin Sparngers (2:14.19).
Larissa Peyton, Raynee DeGrio, Sprangers and Theisen ran on the winning 4x800. Molly Demmer, Shionna Evans, Theisen and Arola helped the 4x400 set a meet record. The 4x100 team was comprised of Evans, Arola, Demmer and Jenna Ewing. Ewing also placed second in the 100 (12.52)
Alyssa Salomone had a big Friday win in the high jump (5-4 1-4).
Other top-four finishes for UST included a second from Ewing in the 100 (12.52)
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Julianna Gorder went 15-9 1-2 in the long jump (Greg Smith photo)
Nikki Arola won the 200 and 400 and ran on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relays. (Greg Smith photo)
Coach Joe Sweeney and his athletes celebrate their fifth outdoor title in a row. (Greg Smith photo)
Katie Theisen won the steeplechase and ran on two winning relays. (Greg Smith photo)
Jenna Ewing placed second in the 100 and sixth in the 200. (Greg Smith photo)
Laura Janas placed fourth in the 100 hurdles finals. (Greg Smith photo)
Freshman Emma Spoon placed seventh in the 1,500. (Greg Smith photo)
Megan Honan placed second in the hammer throw for some key late team points. (Greg Smith photo)
Britney Daniel placed second in the pole vault with a season-best mark. (Greg Smith photo)
Shionna Evans passes the baton to Katie Theisen on the winning 4x400 relay. (Greg Smith photo)
Molly Demmer hands to Jenna Ewing in the 4x100 prelims. (Greg Smith photo)
Kelly Russ hit an NCAA automatic time for 1,500 meters. (Greg Smith photo)
Katie Theisen (left) sails over a water jump. (Greg Smith photo)
Alyssa Salomone won the high jump and placed eighth in the lone jump. (Greg Smith photo)
Kyley Crotty placed third in the javein. (Greg Smith photo)
UST captains celebrate the championship. (Greg Smith photo)
Saturday brought a lot of smiles after a close team race with Gustavus. (Greg Smith photo)
Melissa Kuebler placed third in the 100 hurdles. (Greg Smith photo)
