COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The strong outdoor season for the College of Saint Benedict track and field team continued on Thursday-Friday (April 17-18) when the Bennies had four titles, 16 top three finishes and 26 top-five results at the CSB/SJU Easter Track Meet at Clemens Stadium.

Senior Justus Floren recorded a career-best and the third best heptathlon mark in school history in placing second at the CSB/SJU Easter Track Meet which ran from Thursday, April 17 to Friday, April 18 at Clemens Stadium.

Floren, a senior from Sauk Rapids, Minn., finished first in two of the seven events (javelin, shot put), second in three others (100 meter hurdles, 800-meters, and long jump) and third in the other two events (high jump, 200 meters). As a result, her heptathlon total of 4,429 bettered her previous best of 4,409 in 2023 and ranks third all-time in CSB outdoor program history. In the competition, she finished second to Makaylin Christenson of NCAA DII St. Cloud State. Also for CSB, Emily Koch, a sophomore from Otsego, Minn., was fourth with 3,326 points and first-year Maisy Komastu  of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., was fifth with 3,125 points as both of them competed in their first-ever heptathlon at CSB.

In her events on Thursday, Floren was second in the 100-meter hurdles with a clocking of 15.53 for 773 points; first in the shot put at 11.00-meters – 36-01.25 for 595 points third in the high jump at 1.46 meters, 4-09.50 for 577 points and third in the 200-meters in 27.48 for 672 points. On Friday, she had a the second best long jump in the competition of 5.21 meters – 17-01.25 for 617 points.  In the javelin throw, Floren had the top throw of 36.57 meters – 119-11 for 602 points and her clocking of 2:39.05 was second in the competition, resulting in 584 points.

Koch was fifth after day one but had two top-three finishes in the three events today to move up to fourth place. She was third in the javelin at 27.52 meters – 90-03 for 430 points. In the 800-meter she was third at 2:40.57 for 566 points. In the long jump, she had a jump of 4.42 meters – 14-06.00 for fifth in the competition and 408 points. On Thursday, Koch was fifth in 17.93 for 496 points in the 100 meter hurdles; fifth in the shot put at 7.79 meters – 25-06.75; fourth in the high jump at 1.40-meters – 4-07.00 for 512 points; and fifth in the 200-meters for 528 points.

Komastu had a pair of fourth place finishes in the competition on Friday. In the long jump, she was fourth at 4.60 meters – 15-01.25 for 454 points; fourth in the 800-meters at 2:57.95 for 384 points and fifth in the javelin throw of 19.85 meters – 65-01 for 286 points. On the first day, she as fourth in 17.51 for 540 points in the 100-meter hurdles; fourth in the shot put at 8.03 meters - 26-04.25 for 401 points; fifth in the high jump at 1.40 -meters – 4-07.00 for 512 points; and fourth in the 200-meters in 29.08 for 548 points.
 

Junior Mary Kenney had a career-best and the fourth best 3,000-meter steeplechase clocking in school history in winning the event at 11:25.66. Sophomore Anabella Witschen was fourth in 12:17.62 in the same event.

Winning her second straight pole vault title outdoors was junior standout Jaylyn Ahlberg, who vaulted 3.55 meters – 11-07.75 while sophomore Lili Raidt was tied for third at 3.10 meters – 10-02.00.

The Bennies captured the 4x100-meter relay in 50.16 with a team of sophomore Grace Buntrock, first-year Anna Gries, first-year Allee Feldman and junior Myah Nelson.   

Led by sophomore Chloe Ostrem first individual title in the 400-meter hurdles, the Bennies placed four in the top seven in the event. Ostrem had a personal best of 1:07.22, followed by sophomore Anya Adelgren fourth, 1:13.09; sophomore Joel Makem Ratzinger, sixth, 1:13.67; and junior Emma Schuele, seventh, 1:18.44.

Sophomore Sabriya Farquharson was second in the long jump by going 5.13 meters – 16-10.00. Three other Bennies placed in the top eight of the long jump, including sophomore Samantha Solheid, sixth, 4.93 meters – 16-02.25; first-year Anna Gries, seventh, 4.83 meters – 15-10.25; and first-year Maggie McCabe, eighth, 4.82 meters – 15-0.75.

Feldman led three in the top seven in the 200-meter by taking third in a personal-best 26.79. Buntrock was sixth in 27.50 with Nelson, seventh in 27.60. Gries was third in the 100-meters in 12.91 with Nelson taking eighth in a season-best 13.13.

Three CSB runners set personal-bests in placing in the top seven of the 1,500-meter run.  Junior Natalie Zielsdorf career-mark of 5:00.70 for third in the event. Also in the 1,500 meter race, sophomore Julia Babineau had a career-best of 5:01.00 in placing fourth and Mollie Ping added PR of 5:14.90 as she was seventh.

In the 10,000-meters, sophomore Abby Bufkin led five CSB runners in the top seven. Bufkin clocked 40:10.98 in placing second. She was followed by junior Ayva Burshem, fourth, 43:08.33; first-year Kaline Merges, fifth, 43:10.69; junior Rachel Olinger, sixth, personal-best, 43:18.70; and senior Emily Tess, seventh, 43:26.08.

The depth of the Bennies also showed in the 800-meters, placing four in the top six. Senior Kalli Smith was third in 2:21.90; senior Lucy Lyngen, fourth in 2:24.70; first-year Mariah Brooks, fifth, 2:27.20; and junior Brooke Verkinnes, sixth, 2:28.10.

Placing third in the shot put was first-year Allison Banse at 11.73 meters – 38-06.00.

In the 100-meter hurdles, CSB placed three in the top six, including sophomore Chloe Ostrem, who had two top two finishes in the hurdles race. In the shorter 100-meter hurdles, she was second in 15.44 while sophomore Anya Adelgren was third in 16.21 and junior Emma Schuele, sixth, 17.57.

The Bennies also placed two in the top five of the 400-meters as first-year Ava Revoir was third in 59.51 and senior Emerson Knapp, fifth in a personal-best of 1:01.31.

Also, CSB placed three in the top four of the high jump, including sophomore Samantha Brown, third, 1.50  meters – 4-10.00; sophomore Anna Kemp, fourth, season-best 1.45 meters – 4-09.00 and first-year Kiera Stommes, fourth, 1.45 meters – 4-09.00.