NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The Gustavus women's track & field team ended up fourth at the MIAC Outdoor Championships, using a late surge to push comfortably into fourth place. 

The day started on the track with the women's 4x100-meter relay, where sophomores Allison Stacy (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Laura Thauvin (Mankato, Minn.) joined first years Sophia Vogel (Prinsburg, Minn.) and Ava Loftness (Prior Lake, Minn.) to grab a season-best 48.40, good for fourth place. Vogel competed again just a bit later, finishing in fifth in the 100-meter hurdle finals, while sophomore Emily Podulke (Hastings, Minn.) got eighth, just 0.03 seconds behind seventh and 0.12 seconds ahead of ninth. Vogel and Loftness competed again in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing fifth and eighth again, this time with Loftness running a personal-best 1:05.46 and Vogel at 1:04.65. Stacy's second event of the day was the 200-meter final, where she also ran a personal best, a 25.88 into -0.8 m/s wind, for sixth place and three points. 

The late surge of points started in the 5,000-meter, where senior Molly Liston grabbed another eight points with a second-place finish in the race, running a 17:29.69. The last event ran on the track for the women was the 4x400-meter relay, this time compiled of first-year Katja Wallin (Mounds View, Minn.), sophomore Ella Kienitz (Raymond, Minn.), first-year Adi Bye (Bloomington, Minn.), and senior Isabel Fynboh (Morris, Minn.). The group ran a season best, climbing up to fifth place, just 0.36 seconds ahead of Hamline to earn one more point. 

In the field, the triple jump squad put the MIAC on notice if they were not previously aware, with first-years and high school teammates Kaylee Hawks and Ava Loftness (Prior Lake, Minn.) going 2-3. Hawks jumped the new Division III No. 25 at 11.74 meters, while Loftness fought a slight wind into her face and jumped an 11.52 meter mark. In the pole vault, senior Maddox Lee (Hugo, Minn.) built off success at the MIAC Multi Championships, clearing 3.33 meters for sixth place. Two more Gusties had stellar days in the women's shot put, starting with sophomore Bella Sutch (Blaine, Minn.), who won the event with a personal-best 13.52 meters. The mark is the new Division III No. 21 and also helped continue to the late surge from Gustavus to get fourth. First-year Yonna Harris (Mankato, Minn.) was the other point scorer, getting fifth for four points with a personal best 12.84 meters, the new Division III No. 66. 

The next chance for the Gusties to compete is on Thursday, where a select group take on the UW-La Crosse Last Chance Meet, looking to secure a spot at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.