COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The Gustavus men's and women's track & field teams competed at the CSB/SJU Invitational on Saturday, hosted by Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict. The meet gave a great preview of the competition that will return in two weeks for the MIAC Indoor Championships, highlighted by 15 top-three finishes for Gustavus among the 12 competing teams.
 
The women started strong on the track with Laura Thauvin, Emily Podulke, and Chelsea Stahl in the 60-meter hurdles. All three qualified for finals with Thauvin taking third in 9.56, Stahl with a lifetime best in 9.67 for fifth place, followed closely by Podulke's personal best of 9.70. Kate Carlson and Allison Stacy competed in the 60-meter dash, both qualifying for finals, taking first and seventh at 7.89 and 8.20, respectively. Megan Geraets had a season best in the 400-meter with a time of 58.27, placing third. Geraets also took second in the long jump with a leap of 17-10.25. The 200-meter was highlighted by Stacy's third place finish of 27.44.
 
In the 600-meter, Aubrey Mair placed second with a lifetime best of 1:42.8 and Isabel Fynboh in fourth in 1:44.43. Kailyn Walukas had a personal best in the 1000-meter with a time of 3:10.00. Sydney Hagen and Molly Liston went one-two, respectively, in the 3000-meter with times of 10:38.27 and 10:21.94, a lifetime best for Hagen.
 
Camille Finney performed well in the pole vault taking third place at a height of 10-6.75.
 
The Gustie 4x200-meter relay composed of Carlson, Stacy, Sarrah Lindner, and Geraets finished the meet strong, taking first with a meet record of 1:44.54.
 
For the men, Tyler Smith won the 1000-meter with a lifetime best and school record time of 2:30.56, breaking his own school record set last year. Nick Brauer took fifth in the mile with a time of 4:31.74. In the 600-meter, Markus Rupnow ran a 1:24.30 to place second. Niko Vargas finished the 200-meter dash with a personal best of 23.52 for fifth place.
 
The team of Sam Schulze, Cohen Stursa, Rupnow, and Smith took first in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:36.33.
 
In the field, the Gustavus men & women dominated multiple jumping events. Lindner had a season best of 35-3.00 in the triple jump to place third. Liam Frommelt also placed third in the triple jump with a leap of 43-7.75, a new personal best. In the long jump, Isaiah Subah had a season best of 21-5.50 to place fifth.
 
"The jumpers had an overall solid day. We fought through some adversity with how the timing worked out, but they all shrugged it off and competed," said jump coach Billy Visto. "Season PRs for Sarrah, Spencer Pearson, and Liam in triple. Subah, Liam, Isaac Meyer, and Grace Banse all had PRs in long jump as well which bodes well for the next couple of weeks going into conference."
 
High jump was highlighted by multiple personal bests, starting with Kayla Kajer who jumped 5-3.75. The 1.62 meter personal best ranks 35th in Division III this season and placed second in today's meet. Erin Beer had a season best of 4-9.75 to place fifth. Brendan Carlson and Cole Matetich placed fourth and fifth, respectively, at a height of 6-4.00.

"This was a great meet for us to have a chance to run against MIAC competition as we enter into championship season," said Assistant Coach Hailey Hill. "We saw a lot of top performances throughout the team with some season bests, personal bests and just all around good attempts. I think we took advantage of the opportunity we were given today.

"Specifically from the mid distance group Tyler Smith came off a big double running a solo 1:55.21 at MSU and then coming back into a 1k today. Breaking his own school record set last season in a 2:30.56. And then as a group we had multiple season bests and PRs in events ranging from the 600-meter up to the one mile. Some notable PRs come from Kailyn Walukas in the one mile running 5:22.75 and the 1k in a 3:10.00, Nick Brauer running a season best 4:31.74 in the one mile and Aubrey Mair running a strong 1:42.80 for a four second PR in the 600."
 
The Gusties are back in action at the MSU-Mankato Maverick Invitational on Friday.