Track team finishes strong, prepares for outdoors

By Mike Billeter

Mirror Staff Writer
March 7, 2008

In one of their strongest team finishes ever, the Augustana women’s and men’s track teams finished third and sixth, respectively, at the North Central Conference (NCC) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Mankato, Minn., last Saturday. The women also scored their highest point total in school history for indoor track, improving 26 points over their previous high score for a total of 124 points.

“This was a good performance all around for both of our teams,” Track and field coach Tracy Hellmann said. “Our distance runners scored big in almost every event and our throwers threw really well.”

So well, in fact, that the women’s team brought home first and third place finishes in shot put, with senior Lindsey Schultz earning first place for her throw of 44-9.50 and freshman Noel Bentele taking third with a throw of 41-2.25. The Vikings also saw strong performances from sophomore Caitlin Polgreen, who finished third in both the 1,000-meter run and the mile, and sophomore Alyssa Anderson, who finished second in the 3,000-meter run.

“For our younger athletes to be doing so well just shows that we are doing the right things as a team,” Hellmann said. “In the past some of our younger kids have struggled due to the level of competition at a meet like this, but this is just another example of the fact that we’re heading in the right direction.”

Augustana senior Becky Schulz placed first in high jump, and she will be heading to the NCAA Championships in Mankato, Minn., March 14-16. This is Schulz’s second win at an NCC meet for high jump; she also won at last year’s outdoor conference championships.

“It was obviously good to win because it gives our team 10 points,” Schulz said. “On a personal level, I wish I could have jumped a little higher, but I’m still completely happy with first place in the last ever Indoor NCC Conference Championships.”

For the men’s team, the Vikings saw strong performances from freshman high jumpers Jake Murphy and Blake Ridgway, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Sophomore Brian Werner also finished fourth in the 500-meter run with a time of 1:07.61 and seventh in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:38.25.

“This was probably one of our best team performances as a whole, both men and women,” Hellmann said. “It’s great for a team to have so many events going on and still be supporting each other throughout the entire meet. As a team we can use that energy we’ve established as we head into the outdoor season.”

Schulz agrees that chemistry will be a major factor in the success of both teams in the near future.

“In the past few weeks we’ve really come together as a team, and even issues that we might have outside of track are just forgotten when we get focused on these meets,” she said. “When we’re all supporting each other, every bit of extra encouragement helps us perform. We’re definitely going to need that kind of support when we get to the outdoor conference championships.”

After the national meet in Mankato, the Vikings will focus on their outdoor spring season. A big part of this NCC meet was the fact that the teams were able to grow closer throughout the event. Hellmann was impressed with his teams’ desires to see each other succeed.

After the national meet March from 14-16, the Vikings will open the spring season at the Mount Marty Open on March 29, in Yankton, S.D.