Final Results
The Augustana men's and women's track teams each crowned 3 champions and turned in several personal-best performances at the Graphic Edge Open Saturday at the Dakota Dome in Vermillion, S.D.
On the women's side, the Vikings had 3 individual champions. Leading the way was
Noel Bentele, who won the shot put and also finished second in the weight throw.
Caitlin Polgreen and
Annie Pfeifle were Augie's other winners, claiming the 1,000 meters and the mile.
Bentele led a strong showing by the Vikings in the shot put. Bentele won the event with a toss of 40-9.5. Meanwhile, teammates
Kristen Nielsen and
Rachel Christiansen finished third and fourth. Nielsen had a mark of 40-0.0 while Christiansen's best toss was 38-9.0, a personal best.
Bentele and Christiansen also fared well in the weight throw. Bentele finished second with a throw of 51-2.25, while Christiansen finished fourth with a mark of 47-2.5.
Polgreen helped Augustana claim 3 of the top 4 places in the 1,000 meters. Polgreen turned in a winning time of 3:02.10, a personal best, to beat teammate
Molly Kokesh, who was second with a personal-best time of 3:04.33.
Rachel Biederman crossed the finish line in fourth place in 3:12.01.
Pfeifle easily won the mile run with a personal-best time of 5:12.48 as the Vikings had 4 of the top 7 finishers. Miriam Hovda was second in 5:20.89, while
Laura Johnson was fourth in 5:33.11.
Megan Erspamer rounded out the group in seventh place in 5:41.74.
In the 800-meter run,
Kelly Kougl was second in a time of 2:26.39, barely beating teammate
Allison Henke, who was third in 2:26.41.
In the pole vault,
Hollie Bloom tied with 2 others for the top height cleared, a personal-best height of 11-0.0, however she finished in third place based on the number of jumps attempted. Meanwhile,
Kacia Erickson was fifth with a height of 9-04.0.
For the Viking men,
Aduo Omot,
Brian Werner and
Austin Vande Berg all won events.
Omot claimed the 400-meter dash in a personal-best time of 50.92. In the 1,000 meters, Werner also had the best time of his career as he crossed the finish line in 2:31.39. Teammate
Jordan Slusser finished third in a time of 2:36.86.
Vande Berg led a one-two finish for the Vikings in the mile run. Vande Berg won the event in 4:29.57, while
Per Sandtroen was second with a time of 4:32.69.
Two other Vikings earned runner-up finishes.
Paul Mallory was second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.48. Meanwhile,
Kevin Knapp was second in the weight throw with a toss of 49-0.25.
Tyler Lynch was fifth with a mark of 44-2.75.
Lynch, along with
Aaron Jung, anchored Augustana in the shot put. Jung placed third with a heave of 48-10.0, while Lynch was fourth with a toss of 46-0.0.
Rounding out Augustana's top 5 finishers was
Cory Sugden, who set a personal best with a leap of 6-4.0 in the high jump. Sugden's mark tied for the third-best in the event, but he finished fifth based on number of attempts.
Augustana will be in action again next Saturday, January 30, when the Vikings participate in the Minnesota State University, Mankato, Open.
