Mankato, Minn. --- The #1 Minnesota State women's indoor track & field team's quest for its third conference title got off to a strong start after the first of two days of competition at the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships held in Myers Field House. The Mavericks already possess a commanding lead with 68.5 points with five of the 19 events in the books, far outpacing current runner-up Augustana (27).
Junior
Makayla Jackson bettered her NSIC record in the long jump with a leap of 6.21 m (20' 4.5") on her second attempt to capture the title for the third consecutive year in the event. Jackson was joined on the podium by fellow MSU juniors
Mariah Williams (6.08 m; 19' 11.50") in third and
Kary Petricka (5.97 m; 19' 7") in fourth.
The pole vault finals saw Maverick sophomore
Paige Hickson give the top vaulter in the nation
Ashley Hokanson of MSU Moorhead a battle as both ended up exiting the competition at 4.06 m (13' 3.75"). That height was a career-best effort for Hickson, but due to tiebreaking procedures, Hokanson claimed the individual title with Hickson taking second. Also placing for MSU was sophomore
Paige Bauer in fourth as she tied her career-high by clearing 3.71 m (12' 2"), and freshman
Abigail Olenius who tied for eighth by exiting at 3.41 m (11' 2.25").
The Distance Medley Relay team of junior
MaKenna Thurston, junior
Rose Cramer, sophomore
Makayla Bishop, and senior
Amanda Montplaisir clocked in at 11:49.20 to take second behind Augustana in a fast race as both the Maverick and Viking squads bettered the previous NSIC record in the event.
Senior
Amanda Montplaisir lowered her personal career record in the 5,000-meter run to become only the second Maverick in school history to break the 17-minute mark with her time of 16:59.79.
Five different Mavericks landed on the podium in the weight throw finals, led by senior
Lexie Hurst's season best mark of 17.48 m (57' 4.25"), which was the ninth-best throw in MSU history. Sophomore
Madison Glynn was fourth (16.81 m; 55' 2"), while freshman
Mony Johnson took fifth (16.76 m; 55' 0"). Juniors
Madeline Fretag (16.51 m; 54' 2') and
Abbi Stafslien-Dumale (16.44 m; 53' 11.25") placed seventh and eighth, respectively.
Junior
Denisha Cartwright tied the facility record along with setting both MSU and NSIC records with her scorching time of 7.23 in the 60-meter dash prelims. Cartwright now shares the Myers Field House record with professional athlete Kiara Parker of Asics, who set the mark in 2022. Jackson also qualified for the 60-meter dash finals tomorrow with her time of 7.32, as did junior
Ja'Cey Simmons (7.61) and freshman
Norah D'Almeida (7.67).
Cartwright also punched her ticket to the finals of the 200-meter dash finals tomorrow with her time of 24.24. Joining Cartwright in those finals are sophomore
Akela White (25.78) and senior
Rose Gaye (25.55).
The Mavericks had four individuals qualify for the finals of the 60-meter hurdles tomorrow, led by junior
Denisha Cartwright who set a NSIC record with her time of 8.11. Joining Cartwright in the finals tomorrow are junior
Roxan Foster (8.643), sophomore
Kynnedi Malone (8.647), and senior
Quanterra Harrison (8.77).
MSU got two individuals through to tomorrow's finals in the 400-meter dash as junior
Eilika Lane (57.36) and senior
Rose Gaye (57.52) will have the opportunity to compete for the individual title. Lane's time was the ninth-best in Minnesota State history, while Gaye improved to 11
th all-time for the Mavericks.
Thurston will take part in the 800-meter finals tomorrow after qualifying with a time of 2:18.44, which is just 0.07 seconds off her career-best time. Sophomore
Marissa Ellenbecker will likewise compete in the finals of the 1,000-meter run thanks to her time of 3:03.60 in the prelims.
Minnesota State will conclude the 2023 NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships tomorrow, with action beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Myers Field House.
| Place |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
#1 MINNESOTA STATE |
68.5 |
| 2 |
Augustana |
27 |
| 3 |
#23 Wayne State |
18 |
| 4 |
Sioux Falls |
17.5 |
| 5 |
#9 Winona State |
15 |
| 6 |
Northern State |
14.5 |
| 7 |
Mary |
13 |
| 8 |
MSU Moorhead |
10 |
| 9 |
Bemidji State |
4 |
| T-10 |
Minnesota Duluth |
3 |
| T-10 |
St. Cloud State |
3 |
| 12 |
Minot State |
1 |
| 13 |
Southwest Minnesota State |
0.5 |
| T-14 |
#21 Concordia-St. Paul |
0 |
| T-14 |
Upper Iowa |
0 |
