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SMU at Eastbay Invite Fri.-Sat., Feb. 10-11 |
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SMU collects 3 provisional qualifiers, 7 school records at Eastbay
STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Saint Mary's University track and field coach Kirk Nauman knew his Cardinals were capable of putting it all together in one, dominating performance.
He just didn't know when it would happen.
Saturday, it did.
The Cardinals posted three NCAA Division III Indoor National Championship provisional-qualifying marks and shattered seven school record at the Eastbay Invitational at UW-Stevens Point.
"This was a huge, huge day for us," understated Nauman, after Autumn Valk (Appleton, Wis.), Beth Cleveland (Wausau, Wis.) and Megan Mason (Rochester, Minn.) all punched their tickets to the national indoor championships. "I wouldn't say I was completely surprised by this — I knew team had this type of performance in them, I just didn't know when it would break out."
Valk bettered the school record in the 55 hurdles, posting a provisional-qualifying mark of 8.53, while Cleveland improved on her qualifying mark and school record in the weight throw with a toss of 15.27 meters and Mason notched her NCAA spot with a leap of 1.67 meters in the high jump.
Along with her provisional-qualifying mark in the high jump, Mason also broke the school record in the pole vault (3.10 meters), while Emily Bartusek (Albert Lea, Minn. / 400, 59.45), Katie Boisjolie (Austin, Minn. / 5,000, 18:59.38), Amanda Weinmann (Rochester, Minn. / shot put, 12.83 meters) and Dan Gerber (Belvidere, Ill. / 200, 23.06) also etched their names in the SMU record books.
"Three national qualifiers and seven school records in one afternoon is awesome," said Nauman. "This is just another great step for our entire program."