The St. Kate’s track and field team had their best weekend of competition so far in their young season. In Collegeville at a dual meet with St. Ben’s the Wildcats won six events, recorded six lifetime personal best’s and eleven season bests. All of this came one night after a school record and NCAA Provisional qualifying mark was posted at the Meet of Hearts in Northfield.
On Friday night at the Meet of the Hearts senior Greta Sieve ran the first indoor 5k of her career, and picked up her sixth individual Wildcat school record. Sieve’s time of 17:33.49 placed her second overall, was an NCAA Provisional qualifying mark that currently ranks as the tenth best time in Division III this season, and broke the old SCU school record by forty seconds.
On Saturday the sprinters and throwers led the Wildcats against the Blazers. Sprinter Sam Levercom ran a personal best and moved into the St. Kate’s top ten all-time with a 27.82 clocking in the 200 meters. She also anchored the second fastest SCU 4 x 200 meter relay team in indoor track history. Levercom and teammates Kim Engel, Kayla Engel and Jennifer Ampe finished second with a time of 1:49.34.
The Engel’s also went 1-2 in the 400. Running together from start to finish the duo crossed the line in 60.98 and 61.08. The Engel sisters then joined with Amanda Manship and Jamie Kelly to take the top honors in the 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 4:06.93.
In the field, senior Celestine Ventura was a double winner for the Wildcats. Ventura won the shot put with a throw of 12.40m (40-8.5ft) before taking top honors in the weight throw with a mark of 14.49m (47-6.5 ft). Classmate Samantha Larson also had a strong day in the throwing events. She set two personal bests with throws of 12.20m (40.5 ft) in the shot put and 14.22m (46-8 ft) in the weight throw.
Rebecca Zenefski and Averyl LaSalle picked up personal bests in the throwing circle as well. Zenefski’s throw placed her third in the shot put to conclude a Wildcat sweep in that event. LaSalle added some four feet to her personal best in the weight throw.
The St. Kate’s track and field team returns to action on Saturday February 20 when they compete at the University of Minnesota Parents Day Meet.