Zachary Tlusty-
The Gustavus Track & Field team took to the Bethel Invitational on the sunny Saturday afternoon of April 13th. The Gusties set 15 meet records, five stadium records, and 44 new personal records. No team scores were recorded for the meet, but the Gusties won a total of six different events.
For the Gustie Men, First-year Jade Anstine finished fourth in both the 100-meter and 400-meter, setting a new meet record and personal best in the 100 with a time of 10.82, and added a second meet record in the 400 with a time of 21.60. The team of Junior Tyler Smith and First-year Nick Brauer went one and three in the 800-meter, both setting stadium and meet records. Smith took first with a PR of 1:53.50, while Brauer set his own PR of 1:54.25. The Gustie 4×100 relay team of Senior Isaiah Subah, Anstine, Junior Nathan Le, and Senior Matthew Skelly posted a second-place finish with a season-best time of 42.83.
The Gustie Women continued to post some of the NCAA’s top performances, led by All-Americans Junior Kate Carlson and Junior Megan Geraets. Carlson recorded a meet record and season-best time in the 100, finishing in 12.16. Geraets set a new stadium and meet record in the 200-meter, taking first in 24.49. Carlson wasn’t far behind, finishing second in 24.76. In the steeple, Junior Sydney Hagen posted a personal-best 11:46.38 to finish fourth. The relay team of Senior Danielle Miller, Geraets, Senior Ally Rakow, and Carlson set a new season-best time for the Gusties in the 4×100, crossing the line in 48.59 to win the event.
The Gusties dominated in the field, with strong performances in both the throws and jumps. First-year Olivia Duncan took first in the discus, tossing a meet record and personal best of 41.31 meters (135-06). Junior Kelley Brennan added another PR in the discus, finishing fifth with a mark of 38.20 meters (125-04). Brennan also finished fourth in the hammer throw with a meet-record toss of 50.02 meters (164-01).
Rakow took third in the high jump, clearing a mark of 1.50 meters (4-11). Junior Lakesha Carter, after posting the MIAC’s best javelin throw last weekend, added another impressive toss, this time throwing for 37.88 meters (124-03) – a new meet record.
Senior Isaiah Subah took second in the long jump, setting both a stadium and meet record of 6.69 meters (21-11.5). And, if one stadium/meet record wasn’t enough, Geraets added another in the long jump, taking first with a jump of 5.67 meters (18-07.25).
Junior Alli Graff added a second-place finish in the pole vault, posting a PR of 3.31 meters (10-10.25). Senior Madi Kes tacked on one more meet record, taking first in the triple jump with a mark of 11.53 meters (37-10).
Duncan had a first-place and conference-leading throw of 135-06. Brennan added a fifth-place finish with her PR of 125-04. She also added a huge mark of 164-01 in the hammer throw and Lakesha Carter took third in the javelin at 124-03. On the Men’s side, First-year Wyatt Hudspith opened up his college career in the discus with a throw of 130-03 to break into the top eight of the MIAC standings and Junior Zack Stordahl had a top-10 meet throw and PR of 144-04.
The Gusties will have their next meet on Saturday, April 20th which Saint John’s will be hosting in Collegeville, Minnesota for their annual Saint John’s Invite. Events will begin at 11:00 a.m.