Results

After a spectacular end to the 2015 indoor season at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Championships in early March, the St. Catherine University track and field team was eager to get back to action and pick up where they left off. For Shakeela Wells-Johnson (St. Paul, Minn./Harding), she showed she hasn't missed a beat setting a new school record in the 100-meter dash to lead the Wildcats on a beautiful spring day at the Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC) Lee Krough Invitational Saturday afternoon in St. Peter, Minnesota. 

Wells-Johnson broke Sam Levercom's record time of 12.49 set in 2012 when she raced out to a time of 12.47 in the prelim heat of the 100-meter race. Then, in the finals, she dropped more time with a second-place time of 12.38 for the new record and just behind the top finisher from Division II Minnesota State University-Mankato. The sophomore also placed sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.89. 

The Wildcats also had several school top 10 performances that highlighted a solid day all around. In the javelin, Megan Pohlmann (Grey Eagle, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle) had a huge personal record (PR) with a throw of 34.65 meters (113-08) that moves her to No. 3 all-time at St. Kate's. In her collegiate debut as a member of the Wildcat track and field team, volleyball standout Alyssa Besch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) posted a mark of 33.90 meters (111-03) that is No. 6 all-time at St. Kate's. Pohlmann and Besch finished second and third, respectively, behind another MSU-Mankato competitor. 

Also in the throws events, first-year Claire Vasilis (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) had a breakout performance in her first outdoor meet placing gourth in the hammer throw with a mark of 38.74 meters (127-01) that is now No. 10 all-time at St. Kate's. 

The final top 10 performance came from Abigail Palmer (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) who finished third in the triple jump with a huge PR mark of 10.62 meters (34-10.25) that is now No. 3 all-time for the Wildcats. 

Other strong finishes in the field events included a fourth-place finish in the long jump from Makayla Skluzacek (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) with a jump of 4.48 meters (14-8.5), while Nicole Szyszka (Jordan, Minn./Jordan) was just off her PR in the discus throw with a mark of 33.51 meters (109-11). 

In the other sprint event of the day, Brittany Moore (Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) had a strong start to the season in the 100-meter hurdles. She ran a 16.14 in the prelims before clocking in at 16.01 in finals to finish fifth in a tough field. 

Courtney Kirkeide (Greenbush, Minn./Greenbush-Middle River) had the top distance performance of the day placing third in the 1,500-meter run. Her time of 5:09.30 was less than two seconds off her PR and was the second-best time from a MIAC performer on the day. 

The Wildcats are scheduled to return to action next Saturday at the Concordia University, St. Paul Holt Invitational. The meet is slated to begin at 10 a.m. in St. Paul. 

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