ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Senior Fiona Smith won individual titles in the 1,500-meters and 10,000-meters with championship records in both, and first-year Sabriya Farquharson claimed a title in the long jump to lead the No. 21 ranked College of Saint Benedict outdoor track and field team into first place at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship, which opened on Friday (May 10).

The Bennies, which had four program top-10 marks and two conference championship records, have 60.33 points and lead second place St. Olaf with 57.33 points. The MIAC Championships, hosted by Hamline University, begin on Saturday (May 11) with a noon start with the final set of events - the women's and men's 4x400 relay - running at 5:10 p.m.

A senior from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Smith set a MIAC Championship record by clocking 4:28.55 (4:29.20, Marie Borner, Bethel, 2009) in winning the 1,500-meters for the second straight year. She finished just under six seconds ahead of the field.  Then, for a 3rd straight year, Smith won the 10,000-meter run with MIAC Championship record of 34:15.01. Smith, who led the field by 1:35, broke a 41-year-old record set by Debbie Thometz of St. Thomas in 1983. With the two titles, Smith now has won eight outdoor MIAC individual titles and owns 14 overall individual titles.   

Farquharson captured the long jump title with a personal-best and second-best performance all-time at CSB. Farquharson led a 1-2 finish by the Bennies in the long jump as senior Ellie Selisker was second. Both Farquharson and Selisker recorded top three marks all-time at CSB.

Farquharson had a jump of 5.61M - 18-05, which ranks second to the 5.71M – 18-08.25 of Julia Renner in 2010. She bettered her previous best outdoor mark of 5.49M – 18-02.25 by nearly a half-foot. Selisker had the program's third-best long jump mark by going a personal-best of 5.59M - 18-04.25 as CSB earned 18 team points in the event. Selisker bettered her previous best by near a foot. She also finished tied for second in the high jump with another personal best of 1.58m - 5-02.25, which ranks ninth (tied with Alicia Evenson, 2016) in program history.

The Bennies also placed third in the 4x800 meter relay as the squad of Kalli Smith, Lucy Lyngen, Taylor Radaich and Ella Young clocked a time of 9:41.56.

Several Bennies advance to Saturday Finals
In the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles, Justus Floren was clocked 15.77 for ninth and she qualified for the finals.

In the 400-meters prelims, senior Sidela Nyuga advanced to the finals on Saturday with a 59.35 clocking for the sixth-best qualifying time. She also qualified sixth in the 200-meters in 25.66, which is a personal-best and sixth-best time in program history.

In the 400-meter hurdles, sophomore Lauren Berg and first-year Anya Adelgren both advanced to the finals. Berg had the third-best time in the field at 1:06.64 while Adelgren was ninth in 1:08.88.

Senior Kate Gallagher advanced in the 100-meters by clocking 12.41 for fourth. In the 200-meters, senior Tiana Johnson, who was seventh in 25.72 (just off PR of 25.16), advanced to the finals. Gallagher clocked a PR of 26.04 but was 10th in the 200-meters.

Junior Kalli Smith clocked 2:19.64 for seventh place in the 800-meters and she will compete in the finals.