SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – It was the start to the outdoor season that Shannon Houlihan and the St. Catherine University track and field were hoping for. Two weeks after racing in their final indoor event of the season, the Wildcats took eighth in the 16 team field at the Point Loma Nazarene Meet in San Diego, California behind strong performances both in the field and on the track.

In the field events, St. Kate's not only had athletes score points, but also saw a school record fall and top scores recorded. First year Tori Thompson (Rochester, Minn. / Rochester Mayo) toppled the St. Kate's long jump record in her first track meet of the year, jumping a distance of 5.44 meters for the No. 1 distance in St. Kate's history. She placed second in the meet overall and out jumped Hamline University's Carolyn Saulsberry by .16 meters.

Junior thrower Megan Pohlmann (Grey Eagle, Minn. / Long Prairie-Grey Eagle) took second in the javelin competition with a personal record (PR) throw of 38.41 meters. Her teammate Courtney Kirkeide (Greenbush, Minn. / Greenbush-Middle River) also scored points for the Wildcats in the same event as she finished thirteenth with a throw of 26.73 meters.

In the high jump, first year Johna Radke (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego) finished in a five way tie for fifth place with a PR of 1.50 meters. Her jump is tied for No. 8 all-time in St. Kate's history and was worth 9.5 points for the overall team score.

In the track events, the Wildcats picked up right where they left off at the the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Indoor Track and Field Championship two weeks ago. Kirkeide won the 5000 meter run with a time of 19:07.41. She crossed the finish line 16 seconds before the next runner and recorded the No. 10 time in St. Kate's history in the race.

First year Jackie Brine-Doyle made an impressive debute in the 3000 steeplechase race, placing sixth with a final time of 13:07.59. The time is a personal record for the first year and No. 7 all-time at St. Kate's.

St. Kate's sprinters also had top performances in the California based meet. Senior Brittany Moore (Maplewood, Minn. / North St. Paul) compiled two strong performances in the 100 meter dash and 100 meter hurdles. In the dash, Moore took ninth for the Wildcats with a time of 12.85, just outreaching teammate Shakeela Wells-Johnson (St. Paul, Minn. / Harding), who took tenth with a time of 12.90. Moore was also strong in the hurdles event as she placed eighth with a time of 15.76.
Sophomore Megan Thoemke (White Bear Lake, Minn. / Mahtomedi) recorded a PR in the 200 meter dash with a final time of 28.03 and had a strong showing the 400 meter dash as well, placing fifteenth with a final time of 1:02.58.

Sophomore Sydia Reeves recorded PRs in the 100 and 200 meter dash as well, with times of 13.91 and 29.97 seconds.

The Wildcats will have a few days off to practice and enjoy the weather in San Diego before returning to Minnesota for outdoor competition in the Midwest. St. Kate's next meet will be the Hamline Invite on Saturday April 2 at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.