Women's Track & Field sends 10 to NCAA meet

May 19, 2008

St. Thomas women's coach Joe Sweeney has 10 athletes competing in eight events at this week's NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships in Oshkosh, Wis. The three-day competition begins Thursday.  

The Tommies, who placed seventh in the NCAA indoor meet in March, have qualified in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Sophomore Nikki Arola has qualified in four events -- both relays and the 200 and 400.   Junior Katie Theisen will compete in the 800 and the 4x400. Sophomore Erin Sprangers and soph Kelly Russ also have qualified in the 800.  

Senior Shara Guidry, the 2007 NCAA discus champion, will defend her discus title and compete in the shot put. Fellow senior Selina Dehn is seeded seventh in the triple jump.   

The Toms have 10 of the MIACs 16 women qualifiers.  

Here's a complete list of MIAC qualifiers, with season-best times/marks and their current seeding:  

NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships May 22-24, Oshkosh, Wis.

MIAC Women's Qualifiers (16 athletes in 13 events)

(seed place and time/mark listed)  

--200: 11. Nikki Arola, St. Thomas, 24.85

--400: 10. Arola 56.81

--800: 6. Erin Sprangers, St. Thomas, 2:11.66; 7. Katie Theisen, St. Thomas, 2:11.73; 11. Kelly Russ, St. Thomas, 2:12.08.

--1,500: 5. Marie Borner, Bethel, 4:32.49

--4x100: 10. St. Thomas (Arola, Shionna Evans, Jenna Ewing, Kate Staat)

--4x400: 11. St. Thomas (Arola, Raynee DeGrio, Evans, Theisen)

--Triple Jump: 7. Selina Dehn, St. Thomas, 36-6 3-4

--Shot Put: 7. Shara Guidry, St. Thomas, 45-10 1-2

--Discus: 9. Shara Guidry, St. Thomas, 152-3

--Javelin: 1. Lisa Brown, Gustavus, 158-5; 7. Katherine Brott, Concordia, 136-10

--High Jump: 9. Kaelene Lundstrom, Gustavus, 5-6; 12. Leah Kay, Concordia, 5-5 1-4

--Pole Vault: 9. Shanna Dawson, Gustavus, 12-2 1-2

--Heptathlon: 6. Kay 4,550; 10. Lundstrom 4,430