SUPERIOR, Wis. — Kirk Nauman had a feeling — a good feeling — about what his Saint Mary's University track and field teams could accomplish Saturday afternoon at the UW-Superior Blizzard Invitational.

Maybe it was because Nauman was returning to his alma mater for the first time as the Cardinals' head coach.

Maybe it was because Saturday's meet was the first-ever on the Yellowjackets' brand new indoor track.

Maybe it was the Cardinals' performance in their first two meets of the indoor season.

Whatever the reason, Nauman just had a feeling that something big was going to take place when the Cardinals stepped on the track.

It did.

The Cardinals shattered three school records and picked up six first-place finishes in what Nauman called the Cardinals' best performance to date — by far.

"It was a phenomenal day," said Nauman. "I had a good feeling that we were going to put together a big meet today. It was exciting coming back here to my old stomping grounds — and it was even more fun because of the way we competed.

"It was a nice return."

Nice? Awesome might be a better term for it.

Rob Friendt (Ogden, Utah) led the Cardinals' charge, winning all four events he competed in, including the pole vault, in which he broke his own school record with a vault of 4.27 meters. Friendt also won the long jump (6.44 meters), the 60 (7.24) and the 200 (23.71).

Jenny Folgers (McHenry, Ill.) chipped in a first-place effort in the 60 hurdles, eclipsing her own school record by stopping the clock in 9.40. Israel Burns (Brooklyn, N.Y.) accounted for SMU's other school record, winning the men's weight throw with a toss of 12.42 meters.

Beth Cleveland (Wausau, Wis.) made it a clean sweep of the weight throw, winning on the women's side with a throw of 12.77 meters, while Ellen Koranda (Blue Earth, Minn. / 3,000, 10:46.73), Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn. / high jump, 1.61 meters), Megan Mason (Rochester, Minn. / high jump, 1.61 meters), and Amanda Weinmann (Rochester, Minn. / shot put, 11.99 meters) also chipped in first-place efforts.

"This is the third straight week in which we have really performed well," said Nauman. "We are way ahead of last year's pace, which is great to see, and really, I have a feeling this is only the tip of the iceberg."

Which is good for the Cardinals — because when it comes to feelings, Nauman seems to be right on the money.