NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Fiona Smith and Jaylyn Ahlberg won titles as the No. 16 ranked College of Saint Benedict matched a program-best 10 All-MIAC performances and placed second (120 points) in the team standings at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships, which concluded Saturday (Feb. 24).

Directed by head coach Robin Balder-Lanoue, the Bennies finished with 120 points and second place in team standings at the MIAC Championships. It is the highest finish by Saint Benedict since back-to-back second place results in 2016 and 2017. However, the 120 points by CSB is the most since scoring 122 in 2014. With 10 All-MIAC efforts, CSB tied the 2023 indoor team for the most All-MIAC performances in program history, and recorded five titles, 22 top-eight finishes, with four records (school/facility/championship). As a result, CSB finished second behind Bethel, who scored 158 points.   

The incredible performances by her team during the MIAC Championships left Balder-Lanoue exceptionally proud of her team.

"I am so incredibly proud of the positive energy and tenacity that this team showed us all weekend long," said Balder-Lanoue.

All-MIAC – Saint Benedict
Pole Vault – Jaylyn Ahlberg, So., 1^st, 3.76M – 12-4-00
3,000-meters – Fiona Smith, Sr., 1st, 9:46.83
5,000-meters – Fiona Smith, Sr., 1^st, 16:40.72 (championship record)
Mile – Fiona Smith, Sr., 1^st, 5:03.93
800-meters – Kalli Smith, Jr., 2^nd, 2:18.32
60-meters – Kate Gallagher, Sr., 3^rd, 7.84 (school record)
1,000-meters – Taylor Radaich, FY,  2^nd, 3:04.96
Long Jump – Sabriya Farquharson, FY, 3^rd, 5.33M – 17-06.00
4x400-meter relay – Sidela Nyuga, Mirijana Ganley, Emerson Knapp, Lauren Berg, 3rd,4:04.42
Distance Medley Relay, Taylor Radaich, Emerson Knapp, Lucy Lyngen, Fiona Smith,  1^st, 12:22.85

Saturday Summary -
Senior Fiona Smith, a 12-time All-American, continued to dominate and break records with a winning performance in the 3,000-meters. She had a facility record of 9:46.83 as she won her third straight 3,000-meters race. And, Smith of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia won by 12.66 seconds in a third dominating performance in three individual events. In these championships, Smith won three individual titles, including the 3,000-meters, the mile, and the 5,000-meters (championship record), while anchoring the distance medley relay to a title. For Smith she now has won seven individual MIAC titles and been a contributor to nine overall.
 

MIAC CHAMP - For the 3rd straight year, senior Fiona Smith of @CSBTF has captured the 3,000-meters title with a facility record of 9:46.83 at the @MIACathletics Indoor T&F Championship Saturday. She recorded her 7th career individual MIAC title (3 in 2024). #BennieNationProud pic.twitter.com/wg7DLu1med

— CSB Athletics (@CSB_Athletics) February 24, 2024

Ahlberg, a sophomore from Shoreview, Minn., became the third Bennie in program history to record a pole vault of over 12 feet (Danielle Busch, 2011; and London Stelten, 2017). And, she had the second-best mark in school history by going 3.76M – 12-04.00, which is second to London Stelten, who had a 3.83M – 12-06.75 vault in 2017. Ahlberg won her first individual MIAC title and is CSB's first pole vault champion indoors since Stelten in 2017. Also in pole vault, first-year Ming Li Raidt was fifth in 3.35M - 10-11.75m, a personal-best and a mark that ranks tied for seventh all-time with Rhonda Swanson in 1999. Raidt earned honorable mention All-MIAC honors.
 

MIAC CHAMP -- Sophomore Jaylyn Ahlberg recorded the 2nd-best pole vault performance in @CSBTF school history by going 3.76M - 12-04 (London Stelten, 3.83-12-06.75) in winning the conference title @MIACathletics Indoor Track & Field Championship on Saturday. #BennieNationProud pic.twitter.com/Nl0nFY5M77

— CSB Athletics (@CSB_Athletics) February 24, 2024

In the 1,000-meters, first-year Taylor Radaich had her second All-MIAC performance by placing second with a clocking of 3:04.96, a mark which ranks ninth in program history. Radaich, who was a member of the title-winning distance medley relay on Friday, was one of two in the top-six in the event. Junior Kalli Smith finished sixth in 3:05.93 for honorable mention All-MIAC.

In the relays, CSB had a solid effort as the 4x400 meter relay was third and earned All-MIAC honors with a clocking of 4:04.42. The relay included Sidela Nyuga, Mirijana Ganley, Emerson Knapp and Lauren Berg. CSB claimed fourth for honorable mention All-MIAC honors in the 4x200 meter relay in 1:46.91 with a squad of Kate Gallagher, Grace Buntrock, Mirijana Ganley and Tiana Johnson.

CSB also had points in the shot put, triple jump, 600-meter run and 200-meters. In the triple jump, first year Sabriya Farquharson earned honorable mention All-MIAC honors by placing sixth in 10.62M – 34-10.25.

Senior Ellie Selisker placed eighth in the triple jump at 10.51M – 34-05.75. In the 600-meters, sophomore Lauren Berg clocked 1:39.36 and finished seventh. Tiana Johnson had a season-best 26.98 in the 200-meters while placing eighth. In the shot put, senior Haley Joos earned honorable mention All-MIAC honors with a personal-best of 11.80M – 38-08,75 which ranks ninth all-time in program history.