Throw University

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (4/11/15)—Hillary Birchem came up with a Division III best distance in the discus and led the Cobbers to a second-place finish at the St. Benedict Quadrangular.

Birchem posted a remarkable, career-best distance of 157-05.00 in the discus and won the event by over 33 feet. Birchem's mark is currently the farthest by any athlete in all of Division III this season. It would also be in the top 10 in NCAA Division II.

Birchem's distance of 157-05 is the second farthest in school history and farthest since US Olympian Kris Kuehl posted a mark of 180-06.00 in 1992. Birchem's event-winning mark is also a career best by over 10 feet.

Birchem was part of a banner day for the Concordia throw team as they posted the four event wins at the meet for CC.

Besides Birchem's monster throw in the discus, Cherae Reeves won the shot put and Olivia Johnson claimed the title in both the javelin and hammer.

Reeves, who was the national indoor champion in the shot put in March, posted a distance of 47-05.50 in the shot put. That is a season best for the senior and also the farthest by any athlete in Division III this season.  Her previous outdoor season best came at the first CSB meet on Mar. 28.

Reeves also finished third in the javelin.

Johnson won the javelin with a distance of 136-07 which was over 14 feet farther than teammate Mikayla Forness who placed second. Johnson's distance is the tops in the MIAC this year and 13th best in the nation. Johnson then surprised the field by winning the hammer throw with a mark of 145-04.00. That was also 14 feet farther than the next competitor and is the third best in the MIAC this year.

Just for good measure, Johnson finished second in the shot put to Reeves with a season-best mark of 45-01.50. That is the second best distance in the conference this year and third farthest in all of Division III.

The Concordia throw team came away with five top 7 finishes in the shot put, the top 4 finishes in the discus, three of the top 7 in the hammer throw and the top 4 finishes in the javelin.

Freshman Kristin Drechsel followed in Johnson's footsteps with several top 10 throw finishes. She was second in the discus, sixth in the shot put and seventh in the hammer.

Hannah Lundstrom, Greta Walsh and Katie Rosenfeldt earned top 3 finishes for Concordia in non-throw events. Lundstrom was third in the 200 meters with a time of 26.31. Walsh placed second in the triple jump at 34-01.50 and Rosenfeldt was third in the 800 meters at 2:31.62.

Lundstrom's time is the fastest in the MIAC this year, bettering teammate Rochelle Hickerson by .20 of a second. Walsh's winning mark is also a season best and fifth best in the MIAC while Rosenfeldt's time is also a season best.

Concordia will head to the Carleton Relays next Saturday, Apr. 18 before returning home to host the annual Cobber Twilight Meet on Tuesday, Apr. 21.