MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 2 ranked Minnesota State women's indoor track & field team won its fourth consecutive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship Saturday (Feb. 24), seventh in program history with a dominant performance and point total of 228.5. MSU's point total is the second-highest in NSIC history, trailing only their own record of 243 in 2020.
 
The Mavericks finished 95 points in front of second-place U-Mary who finished with 133.5. Augustana was second with 123 followed by Sioux Falls (66.5) and Minnesota Duluth (40).
 
"Outstanding weekend for the Mavericks, we are excited about the national championships coming forward", said head coach Mike Turgeon. "All around it was a great team effort. The highlight of the weekend was the world-class effort put on by Denisha Cartwright – who crushed the NCAA Division II record in the 60-meter hurdles.
 
Madeline Fretag led the Maverick throwers on day one, with a first-place weight throw of 18.10m (59' 4.75"), a personal record and 20^th best mark in Division II this season. Lauren Bird placed second at 17.97m, also a personal best.
 
Victoriia Ermolaeva took second in long jump with the 14^th best mark in Division II and a personal record (5.97m, 19' 7.00"). Miranda Lauvstad was third and Adeyah Brewster was fourth. Paige Hickson took second in pole vault with a mark of 3.98m (13' 0.75"). Hope Stangel was third.
 
Ashley Cridlebaugh set a personal record with her third-place high jump of 1.67m (5' 5.75"), good for 48^th in Division II this season.
 
The Mavericks won the women's distance medley relay with a time of 11:52.25. Legs were comprised of Cassidy O'Meara, Miranda Lauvstad, Makayla Bishop, and MaKenna Thurston. MSU won a photo finish against Minnesota Duluth (11:52.57). Madison Matzek was the Mavericks' top finisher in 5000 meters with a sixth place time of 17:42.98.
 
Success continued for the home team on day two, beginning with the much anticipated 60-meter hurdle finals. Denisha Cartwright rose to expectations again, with a facility, NSIC, and Division II record time of 7.93 seconds. Cartwright's time is the third fastest in college track this year (All Divisions). 
 
Adeyah Brewster was second for the Mavericks (8.28, personal best, second in Division II this season) and Roxan Foster placed third (8.43, personal best, seventh in Division II this season).
 
Cartwright cruised to victory in the 200-meter finals, with a time of 23.68, an NSIC and facility record and a season best for the senior. Cartwright's time was second in Division II this season. Rose Cramer finished third in the event with a season best time of 24.56.
 
For the two-day meet, Cartwright finished with 30 points, a total which outscored the teams in the event.
 
Eilika Lane placed first in women's 400m with a time of 55.71. Cassidy O'Meara narrowly missed first place in 1000 meter run with a personal best time of 2:54.95, good for second in Division II this winter.
 
MaKenna Thurston came in third in the mile (4:51.88).
 
Fretag took home another title in shot put, with a mark of 14.12m (46' 4.00"), a personal best which was 24^th in Division II this season.
 
The Mavericks swept the podium in triple jump, with the top spot earned by Flore Gracia (13.05m, 42', 9.75"). The senior set an NSIC record. Stella Neophytou also placed second and Ghada Hamdani was fourth.
 
Minnesota State will await official word from the NCAA later next week to see who all qualified for this years championships in Pittsburg, Kan. (March 8-9).