ST. PAUL, Minn. – With a program-best 13 All-MIAC performances, including five individual titles, the College of Saint Benedict outdoor track and field team recorded a third-place finish with the most points ever (136.33) in program history at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship which concluded on Saturday at Hamline University.

Bethel won the team title by scoring 160 points to edge past Gustavus Adolphus with 153.83 points and Saint Benedict with 136.33 points. CSB's total broke the program mark of 130 points by the 2017 team. After CSB, which was third for a second straight year, St. Olaf scored 110.33 points, with Carleton at 91.5, and Concordia at 74. Hamline (37.5), Macalester (33.5), St. Scholastica (30), Saint Mary's (16), Augsburg (11), and St. Catherine (4) finished out the team standings. For the seventh time in program history, CSB totaled 100 points or more outdoors. In 2024, CSB had five titles, matching the program-best mark set in 2022 and 2023.   

CSB head coach Robin Balder-Lanoue was proud of her team's efforts at the championships.

"I am beyond proud of the way our athletes competed the past two days. They had two great days that brought us to a record number of points at the MIAC Championships," said Balder-Lanoue.

Leading the way for CSB was senior 14-time All-American and five-time national champion Fiona Smith who won three individual titles for the second straight outdoor season, a program-first. Today, she won the 5,000 meters in 16:51.63, which was more than 26 seconds ahead of the field. It was her fourth straight 5K title at the MIAC outdoor championships. And, she wrapped up her career with nine individual outdoor titles and 15 individual titles overall. Including relays, she had 20 All-MIAC honors. At the MIAC Championships, she also broke conference championship records by winning the 1,500 meter in 4.28.55 (Marie Borner, Bethel, 2009) and the 10,000-meters in 34:15.01 (Debbie Thometz, St. Thomas, 34:22.58, 1983).

Aside from Smith, sophomore Jaylyn Ahlberg earned her first outdoor pole vault title by matching her outdoor best of 3.71M – 12-02, a mark which ranks third all-time at CSB and is 20^th in NCAA DIII. In addition, CSB had an All-MIAC finish from first-year Lili Raidt, who had a personal-best and fourth-best pole vault in school history by going 3.56M – 11-08.
 

CSB also had a solid day with two relays earning All-MIAC honors, including the 4x100-meter relay that was second in 48.49, with a team of Grace Buntrock, Tiana Johnson, Myah Nelson and Kate Gallagher.  In the 4x400-meter relay, CSB was third in 3:56.72 with a team of Sidela Nyuga, Ella Young, Emerson Knapp and Lauren Berg.  

Sophomore Lauren Berg placed second in the 400-meter hurdles for the second straight year by clocking 1:03.74. She now has five individual All-MIAC honors indoor and outdoors.

Senior Kate Gallagher recorded All-MIAC honors after placing third in the 100-meters with a personal-best of 12.23 which is also the second fastest clocking in school history (Erin Sand, 12.18, 2012).

Earning All-MIAC honorable mention honors included junior Justus Floren in the javelin with a throw of 36.84M – 120-10. The Bennies had two student-athletes earn points in the triple jump as first-year Sabriya Farquharson was sixth in 10.78M - 35-04.50 to earn All-MIAC honorable mention. Senior Ellie Selisker was eighth and scored in her third event of the championships with a triple jump of 10.68 m – 35-00.50.

Senior Keiley Maahs earned points in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by placing fifth in 11:29.43, which was just .11 from her all-time best a year ago at the MIAC. It also earned her honorable mention All-MIAC honors.

Senior Sidela Nyuga was sixth in the 400-meters with a personal-best of 58.32. In earning All-MIAC honorable mention honors, she registered the fourth-fastest 400-meters in program history. Senior Tiana Johnson earned All-MIAC honorable mention honors by placing sixth at 25.49 while Nyuga was seventh in 25.65. In the 800-meter run, junior Kalli Smith earned points with a seventh-place finish and a clocking of 2:19.15.

All MIAC honors –
1,500 M – Fiona Smith, 1^st, 4:28.55, MIAC championship record (Marie Borner, Bethel, 2009)
10,000 M – Fiona Smith, 1^st, 34:15.01, MIAC championship record (Debbie Thometz, St. Thomas, 1983)
5,000 M – Fiona Smith, 1^st, 16:51.63
400 M Hurdles – Lauren Berg, 2^nd, 1:03.74 (34^th in DIII)
Long Jump – Sabriya Farquharson, 1^st, 5.61M – 18-05 (2^nd all-time at CSB, Julia Renner, 5.71M – 18-08.25)
Long Jump – Ellie Selisker, 2^nd, 5.59M – 18-04.25 (3^rd all-time at CSB)
High Jump – Ellie Selisker, T-2^nd, 1.58M – 5-02.25 (tied for 9^th all-time at CSB)
4x800 meter relay – 3^rd, 9:41.56, squad of Kalli Smith, Lucy Lyngen, Taylor Radaich, and Ella Young   
100-meter – Kate Gallagher, third, 12.23 (personal-best, second all-time at CSB)
Heptathlon – Justus Floren, 2^nd, 4,172 points
Pole Vault – Jaylyn Ahlberg, 1^st, 3.71M – 12-02 (20^th in DIII, 3^rd all-time at CSB)
Pole Vault – Ming Li Raidt, 3^rd, 3.56M – 11-08.00 (PR, 4^th all-time at CSB)
4x400-meter relay – 3^rd, 3:56.72, Sidela Nyuga, Ella Young, Emerson Knapp and Lauren Berg