Sophomore Zahra Banks races to the finish line in the 100-meter relay on Day 2 of the MIAC Championship Meet (Photo courtesy of Nathan Lodermeier)
Sophomore Zahra Banks races to the finish line in the 100-meter relay on Day 2 of the MIAC Championship Meet (Photo courtesy of Nathan Lodermeier)

Relays & Shot Put Shine On MIAC Day 2

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (5/12/18)---Relay teams and the shot put helped Concordia finish in eighth place at the MIAC Championship Meet at Carleton.

The Cobbers scored five points in the two relays on Saturday and then added nine more team points in the shot put and finished with 44 total team points to grab eighth place in the final standings.

Senior Maria West led off the Cobber team scoring on Day 2 when she smashed her career best in the 3000-meter steeplechase and came home in eighth place. West crossed the line in a time of 11:35.79 which is the fourth fastest time in program history. Her time is almost 30 seconds fastest than her previous season best.

West also competed in the finals of the 1500 meters and placed 12th with a time of 5:11.35.

The 4x100-meter relay squad then added to the Cobbers' team total. The quartet of Mollie Francis, Kaitlyn Page, Lauren Santl and Zahra Banks won the first heat and their finishing time of 50.79 was good for sixth place overall.

Concordia's highest scoring event of the day came in the shot put where Bailey Hovland, Kelsey Rajewsky and Emily Albers all finished in the Top 8 to earn team points.

Hovland backed up her super Friday by placing fourth in the shot put. She put up a distance of 38-02 in her final attempt of the prelims to advance to the finals and then bettered that mark in her final try of finals. Hovland posted a mark 39-11.25 which pushed her into fourth place. The distance on her final try in an MIAC Championship Meet was a personal best and ties for the 12th farthest in school history.

Hovland finished off her final conference meet by earning honors in three different events. She was MIAC All-Conference (Top 3 finishers) in the hammer and discus and All-Conference Honorable Mention (places 4-6) in the shot put.   

Rajewsky qualified for the finals with a heave of 37-11.25. That mark was the fifth best heading into finals. Rajewsky then bettered that distance on her first try of finals before fouling in her final two attempts. She finished with a distance of 38-04.75 which was good for sixth place and the final MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention honor.  

Albers finished off Concordia's triple threat in the shot put by qualifying for finals in seventh place. Her prelim best would turn out to be her best mark of the event as she dropped one spot to eighth with her distance of 36-05.75.

Shelby Gelinske, Carly Fornshell, Page and Miriah Forness then completed the conference meet for the Cobbers by posting a time of 4:07.97 in the 4x400-meter relay. Their time was a season best by over five seconds and earned them seventh place.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will have one meet to try and qualify more athletes for the NCAA National Meet. So far senior Bailey Hovland is the only CC athlete in position to earn a spot at nationals. She is 13th on the list in the hammer throw with the Top 20 earning a spot at nationals. The Cobbers will head to Wisconsin to compete in the Wis.-La Crosse last chance meet on Thursday, May 12.    

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS:
1. St. Thomas - 186.50
2. Carleton - 103  
3. St. Benedict - 92       
3. St. Olaf - 92  
5. Hamline - 91       
6. Gustavus - 75  
7. Bethel - 57       
8. Concordia-Moorhead - 44  
9. Saint Mary's - 41.50   
10. Macalester - 39  
11. St. Catherine - 24      
12. Augsburg - 1  

COBBER NOTABLES
MIAC CHAMPION:
Hammer Throw - Bailey Hovland – 173-7 (52.90m)

MIAC ALL-CONFERENCE (places 1-3 + 1st place relays only):
1st – Hammer Throw - Bailey Hovland – 173-7 (52.90m)
2nd – Discus Throw – Bailey Hovland – 133-3 (40.62m)

MIAC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION (places 4-6 & relay places 2-6):
4th – Shot Put – Bailey Hovland – 39-11.25 (12.17m)
4th – Heptathlon - Marissa Andersen – 4017 points
5th – 4x800 Relay – Sara Whiteman, Colleen Vought, Liz Vought, Maria West – 9:51.81
6th – 4x100 Relay – Mollie Francis, Kaitlyn Page, Lauren Santl, Zahra Banks – 50.79
6th – Shot Put – Kelsey Rajewsky – 38-4.75 (11.70m)

OTHER SCORERS (places 7-8)
7th – 4x400 Relay – Shelby Gelinske, Carly Fornshell, Miriah Forness, Kaitlyn Page – 4:07.97
7th – Pentathlon – Katie Jobe – 3589 points
8th – 3000 Steeplechase – Maria West – 11:35.79
8th – Shot Put – Emily Albers – 36-5.75 (11.12m)

MIAC RECORD:
Hammer Throw - Bailey Hovland – 173-7 (52.90m)

COBBER SCHOOL RECORD:
Hammer Throw - Bailey Hovland – 173-7 (52.90m)

COBBER ALL-TIME LIST:
Hammer Throw - Bailey Hovland – 173-7 (52.90m) – All-Time #1
3000 Steeplechase – Maria West – 11:35.79 – All-Time #4
Heptathlon – Marissa Andersen – 4017 points – All-Time #11
Shot Put – Bailey Hovland – 39-11.25 (12.17m) – All-Time #12 tie
Pole Vault – Miriah Forness – 9-4.5 (2.86m) – All-Time #13 tie

PERSONAL RECORDS:
100- Zahra Banks (tie)
200- Carly Fornshell (heptathlon), Katie Jobe (heptathlon)
400- Emily Hao
800- Carly Fornshell (heptathlon), Marissa Andersen (heptathlon), Katie Jobe (heptathlon)
5000- Meritt Miller
100 Hurdles- Katie Jobe, Marissa Andersen (heptathlon), Carly Fornshell (heptathlon)
400 Hurdles- Carly Fornshell
3000 Steeplechase- Maria West
High Jump- Carly Fornshell (heptathlon)
Pole Vault- Miriah Forness
Shot Put- Bailey Hovland, Emily Albers, Sofia Palme, Marissa Andersen (heptathlon), Katie Jobe (heptathlon)
Discus Throw- Kelsey Rajewsky, Sofia Palme
Hammer Throw- Bailey Hovland
Heptathlon- Marissa Andersen, Katie Jobe, Carly Fornshell