CSM track & field competes in Early Bird Invite
SEWARD, Neb. – The College of Saint Mary track & field team kicked off the indoor season Saturday with a limited squad participating in the 2023 Bulldog Early Bird Invite.
The event was hosted by Concordia University at Walz Fieldhouse.
"Our young and inexperienced squad had a successful debut to the indoor track and field season," CSM Coach Jerrid Johansen said. "The first time out is always a little nerve-wracking, but we handled it well."
The highlight of the day was Claire Caspersen winning the shot put while also hitting the national qualifying 'A' standard. Caspersen's best throw was 13.99m (45-10.75)
"She hit the national qualifying 'A' standard in the shot put on her first attempt of the season, and then she just kept building from there," Johansen said. "To be near her all-time best marks in the first meet of the year is fantastic."
Also in the shot put, Tavia Williams placed 16th with a personal-best 11.37m (37-03.75), Clare Ullery took 21st with 11.05m (36-03.00) and Marie Bias was 23rd with 10.81m (35-05.75).
In the weight throw, Ullery took 22nd with 12.29m (40-04.00) and Williams placed 25th with 11.02m (36-02.00).
"We want to celebrate program firsts, so it is exciting to see Clare and Tavia be our first competitors in the weight throw," Johansen said.
In other field events, Olivia Joyce placed 18th in the triple jump with 9.61m (31-06.50) and 24th in the long jump with 4.76m (15-07.50). That distance is a school record in the long jump. Allison Isaacson also set a new school record with a height of 3.02m (9-10.75) in the pole vault for 15th place. Teammate Taylor Hrabik took 17th with personal-best 2.72m (8-11.00).
The Flames only had two student-athletes in track events.
Kellesse Heard led the way with a seventh-place finish in the 60m dash with a time of 8.07 and ran the second-fastest time in school history. Hrabik broke a PR in the event with her time of 8.34 for 22nd place.
"Several athletes were right at their PR marks, which is great to see at the beginning of the season," Johansen said. "It was a great start, but it's just a start. We have a lot to be proud of, but a lot to strive for."
The Flames are off until Jan. 13 when they travel to Doane University to compete in the Scott Nisely Memorial Classic.
*Natalie Beglin competed as an unattached/redshirt athlete in the high jump and placed ninth with 1.55m (5-01).