Photo courtesy of Nathan Lodermeier
Photo courtesy of Nathan Lodermeier

Jensen Steps Back Into Spotlight At MIAC Indoor Meet

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (3/02/13)—After watching her teammates steal the headlines for the entire 2013 season, senior All-American Kaari Jensen stepped into the spotlight at the biggest conference meet of the year and proved why she is one of the top all-around athletes in the entire conference.

Jensen won the pentathlon and qualified for the NCAA National Meet by posting a school-record score of 3,352 points. She broke Leah Kay's old mark of 3,345 set back in 2010 by a mere seven points. Jensen's final total is the eighth best in NCAA Division III this season.

Jensen's event win in the pentathlon was one of seven all-conference performances for the Cobbers who finished seventh in the meet with a final total of 58.0 points. Concordia also recorded six all-time top 10 program marks at the MIAC Meet.

Jensen also finished sixth in the regular 60-meter hurdles to earn all-conference honorable mention honors.

Joining Jensen at the NCAA Indoor Meet next weekend will be sophomore Cherae Reeves who placed second in the shot put with a distance of 44-11.00. That mark is the second farthest in program history and 14th farthest in the nation this season. Reeves has now posted the second-best shot put distance in back-to-back competitions.

The only multi all-conference award-winner for the Cobbers was Morgan Christian who proved her 2013 indoor season was no fluke by posting top 3 finishes in the 800 and 600 meters. Christian was second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:16.59 and was third in the 600 meters at 1:37.40. Both her finishing times were career bests and both were in the top 3 in program history. Her 600-meter time is the second fastest in school history and the 2:16.59 in the 800 meters is the third fastest.

The other three all-conference finishes (top 3 in individual events) were turned in by CC field athletes. Hilary Thompson was second in the triple jump and Chelsea Klemetson was runner-up in the high jump while Katrina Gerzema was third in the long jump. Thompson finished with a distance of 36-10.50 in the triple jump which she posted in her final attempt of the meet. Klemetson cleared 5-04.25 in the high jump and has now finished in the top 2 in her first two conference indoor meets. Gerzema was less than two inches out of the top 2 in the long jump. She posted a distance of 16-08.75 in the finals.

The final Cobber all-time program mark was turned in by sophomore Rochelle Hickerson who ran a 8.21 in the preliminaries of the 60-meter dash. Her time is a career best and the fourth fastest in school history.

Jensen and Reeves will now head to North Central College in Naperville, Ill. to compete in the NCAA Division III National Indoor Meet on Mar. 8-9. Jensen will compete in the pentathlon on Friday, Mar. 8 while Reeves will participate in her first national meet in the shot put on Saturday, Mar. 9 at 2 p.m.         


COBBER NOTABLES
MIAC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
February 28-March 1-2, 2013, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
TEAM: 7th place, 58 points


MIAC CHAMPION:
Pentathlon - Kaari Jensen – 3352 points

MIAC ALL-CONFERENCE (places 1-3 + 1st place relays only):
1st - Pentathlon - Kaari Jensen – 3352 points
2nd – 800 Meters – Morgan Christian – 2:16.59
2nd – Triple Jump – Hilary Thompson – 36-10.5 (11.24m)
2nd - High Jump – Chelsea Klemetson – 5-4.25 (1.63m)
2nd – Shot Put – Cherae Reeves – 44-11 (13.69m)
3rd – 600 Meters – Morgan Christian – 1:37.40
3rd – Long Jump – Trina Gerzema - 16-8.75 (5.10m)

MIAC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION (places 4-6 & relay places 2-6):
6th – 60 Hurdles – Kaari Jensen – 9.566 (9.52 prelims)

OTHER SCORERS (places 7-8)
8th – 4x400 Relay – Morgan Christian, Paige Rygg, Madeline Phillips, Kaari Jensen – 4:07.39

NCAA NATIONAL QUALIFYING:
Shot Put – Cherae Reeves – 44-11 (13.69m)
Pentathlon – Kaari Jensen – 3352 points

SCHOOL RECORD:
Pentathlon - Kaari Jensen – 3352 points

COBBER ALL-TIME TOP 10 PERFORMERS:
60 Meters – Rochelle Hickerson – 8.21 – Top 10- #4
600 Meters – Morgan Christian – 1:37.40 – Top 10- #2
800 Meters – Morgan Christian – 2:16.59 – Top 10- #3
60 Hurdles (pentathlon) – Kaari Jensen – 9.38 – Top 10- #3
Shot Put - Cherae Reeves – 44-11 (13.69m) - Top 10- #2
Pentathlon - Kaari Jensen – 3352 points – Top 10- #1

PERSONAL RECORDS:
60- Rochelle Hickerson;
600- Morgan Christian;
800- Morgan Christian, Hannah Fordahl (pentathlon);
1000- Paige Rygg;
60 Hurdles- Kaari Jensen (pentathlon), Hannah Fordahl (pentathlon);
Long Jump- Hannah Fordahl (pentathlon);
High Jump- Anna Skow-Anderson (tie), Hannah Fordahl (pentathlon);
Shot Put- Cherae Reeves, Hannah Fordahl (open), Hannah Fordahl (pentathlon);
Pentathlon- Kaari Jensen.