Results With just two meets remaining on the schedule before the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Indoor Championships, the St. Catherine University hoped for some standout performances to prep for the upcoming competition. With several strong individual times in the distance events leading the way, the Wildcats showed they are almost ready for the conference meet after competing Saturday at the University of Minnesota Parents' Day Open in Minneapolis.
After a spectacular finish to her cross country season, sophomore
Shannon Strickland (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) has been nothing but impressive early in the track season. Saturday, she was at her very best as she raced her way to the No. 3 spot all-time in the 1,000-meter run when she finished sixth among a talented field of Division I, II and III runners with a personal record (PR) time of 3:08.78. This was a four-second drop from her previous best time earlier this season.
Fellow distance star
Jenna McElroy (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) also came up big for the Wildcats as she ran into the No. 5 spot all-time at St. Kate's in the mile run. She dropped over six seconds from her previous best with a PR time of 5:30.39 that was 23rd overall in a huge field of runners.
Other notable distance performances included a season-best time of 3:15.45 for
Courtney Kirkeide (Greenbush, Minn./Greenbush-Middle River) in the 1,000-meter run, while
Johannah Wyrick (Gilbert, Minn./Eveleth-Gilbert) finished just behind her with a 3:17.38 for her collegiate debut in the event.
Rachel Hall (Mendota Heights, Minn.) also had a 13-second PR in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 11:35.29.
In the field events,
Megan Pohlmann (Grey Eagle, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle) had her third PR performance of the season in the weight throw with a mark of 11.34 meters (37-2.5). Anna Maki (Becker, Minn./Monticello) showed great improvement in the pole vault with a PR mark of 2.22 meters (7-3.25).
Abigail Palmer (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) was also fourth in the long jump at 4.52 meters (14-10).
Shakeela Wells-Johnson (St. Paul, Minn./Harding) led the Wildcat sprinters as she raced to the top time in the 60-meter dash prelims with a time of 7.889. Then, she finished third in the finals with a nearly identical time of 7.88.
Brittany Moore (Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.56 after qualifying for finals with a prelim time of 9.44 that was just off her season-best time.
Megan Thoemke (White Bear Lake, Minn./Mahtomedi) was just off her PR in the 400-meter dash with a time of 62.86, while
Jenna Thompson (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) had a solid debut in the 600-meter dash with a time 1:52.83.
The Wildcats will compete once more before the conference meet when they appear at the Macalester College Kilt Classic Friday. The meet is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in the Leonard Center in St. Paul.
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