ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — After a strong team performance in the season opening two competitions, the College of Saint Benedict track and field team will compete at the Gopher Classic on Saturday (Feb. 7) at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse in Minneapolis. The meet is set to start at 11 a.m.

To following along - click here for live results

Schedule of Events - 

Field Events
10:00 AM -- High Jump
10:30 AM --Weight Throw 
11:00 AM --Shot Put
11:30 AM - Long Jump 
2:30 PM -- Triple Jump 
2:30 PM -- Pole Vault 
 
Track Events
10:20 -- AM 1 Mile UnSeeded
11:00 AM -- 3000m UnSeeded
11:40 AM -- 60m Hurdles Prelims
12:25 AM -- 60m Prelims
12:55PM -- 1 Mile 
1:15 PM -- 600m 
1:35 PM -- 60m Hurdles Finals
1: 45 PM -- 60m Finals
2:15 PM -- 400m  
2:50 PM -- 800m  
3:40 PM -- 200m  
4:35 PM -- 3000m  
4:55 PM -- 4x400m Relay

Season Preview
Bennies roll to win in season opener
The Bennies, directed by veteran head coach Robin Balder-Lanoue, opened the 2026 indoor season on Jan. 24 with a dominant performance, winning 11 events, recording 26 top-three finishes and scoring 256 team points to outdistance the field. St. Scholastica finished second with 72 points, followed by UW-Superior with 51. 

First-year Juslene Chea (St. Michael, Minn.) made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, winning the 60-meter hurdles in 9.13 — the second-fastest time in program history and a mark that currently ranks 35th in NCAA Division III. Chea also captured the triple jump title with a leap of 10.60 meters (34-09.50). Junior Chloe Ostrem (Mendota Heights, Minn.) finished second in the hurdles, while junior Anya Adelgren (St. Paul, Minn.) placed fourth.

Senior Lauren Berg (Bemidji, Minn.) continued her decorated career by earning her 22nd career victory with a win in the 400 meters. She led a sweep of the top three spots in the event alongside first-year Taylor Dean (Hutchinson, Minn.) and first-year Macy Piechowski (Winona, Minn.).

In the field events, senior Jaylyn Ahlberg (Shoreview, Minn.) won the pole vault by clearing 3.26 meters (10-08.25), while junior Drea Terwedo (LeSueur, Minn.) claimed the high jump title at 1.54 meters (5-00.50). Junior Sabriya Farquharson (Nassau, Bahamas) opened the season with a victory in the long jump at 5.08 meters (16-08.00).

The throws group was led by sophomore Allison Banse (Mankato, Minn.), who won the shot put, and junior Christian Smith, who added top-three finishes in both the shot put and weight throw.

On the track, sophomore Anna Gries (Minneapolis, Minn.) won the 60-meter dash, while sophomore Allee Feldman (Buffalo, Minn.) and first-year Tiffany Dean (Hutchinson, Minn.) posted a 1–2 finish in the 200 meters. First-year Daphne Grobstein (Golden Valley, Minn.) earned her first collegiate victory in the 800 meters, and senior Mary Kenney (South Saint Paul, Minn.) captured her fourth career win in the 3,000 meters. 
 
Chea sets school record to lead CSB
Powered by a record-breaking performance from first-year Juslene Chea (St. Michael, Minn.), the College of Saint Benedict track and field team finished second with 123 points at the CSB+SJU Invitational on Jan. 30 at The Donald McNeely Spectrum. The Bennies totaled four event titles, 11 runner-up finishes, and 22 top-four performances in a strong all-around showing.

CSB placed second in the team standings behind Bethel (132 points), while St. Cloud State finished third with 62 points and Northwestern–St. Paul was fourth with 14.

Chea highlighted the meet by setting a new school record in the 60-meter hurdles, winning the event in 9.11 for her second straight victory. Her time moved her into 38th in the NCAA Division III rankings and broke the previous record of 9.12 set by Justus Floren in 2025 and Mandy Witschen in 2014. The Bennies claimed three of the top five spots in the event, as junior Chloe Ostrem (Mendota Heights, Minn.) finished fourth with a season-best 10.09 and junior Anya Adelgren (St. Paul, Minn.) placed fifth in 10.10.

Another CSB title came from junior Taylor Radaich (Prior Lake, Minn.), who won the 1,000 meters in 3:13.77. Sophomore Bailey Link (Brush, Colo.) added a second-place finish in the event with a time of 3:14.28.

The Bennies were also strong in the mile run, placing three athletes in the top five. Mary Kenney (Saint Paul, Minn.) recorded a personal best while finishing second in 5:27.90, junior Anabella Witschen (Monticello, Minn.) took third in 5:31.39, and sophomore Mollie Ping (Winona, Minn.) was fifth in 5:43.08.

In the 3,000 meters, first-year Daphne Grobstein (Golden Valley, Minn.) earned a second-place finish in 10:55.70, while junior Julia Babineau (Andover, Minn.) placed fifth in 11:22.96.

CSB also finished second and third in the 4x400-meter relay. The runner-up quartet of Lauren Berg (Bemidji, Minn.), Tiffany Dean (Hutchinson, Minn.), Taylor Dean (Hutchinson, Minn.), and Macy Piechowski (Winona, Minn.) clocked 4:21.55, while the team of Radaich, Witschen, Joel Makem Ratzinger (Shakopee, Minn.), and Link finished close behind.

In the field events, the Bennies collected multiple podium finishes. Sophomore Kiera Stommes (Eden Valley, Minn.) and junior Anna Kemp (New Prague, Minn.) tied for second in the high jump at 1.50 meters (4-11.00), as CSB claimed three of the top five spots. In the pole vault, CSB swept three of the top four positions, led by sophomore McKenna Flinn (Redwood Falls, Minn.), who won the event at 3.38 meters (11-1.00). Senior Jaylyn Ahlberg (Shoreview, Minn.) finished second at the same height, while junior Lili Raidt (Waconia, Minn.) was fourth at 3.08 meters (10-1.25).

Sophomore Allison Banse (Mankato, Minn.) placed second in the shot put with a throw of 11.80 meters (38-8.75), while first-year Quinn Paulsen (Waconia, Minn.) finished fourth at 9.76 meters (32-0.25). CSB also took the top two spots in the triple jump, as junior Sabriya Farquharson (Nassau, Bahamas) won with a mark of 10.75 meters (35-3.25) and first-year Hannah Scharnberg finished second at 10.12 meters (33-2.50). Banse added CSB's top finish (7th) in the weight throw at 11.17 meters (36-7.75).

On the track, senior Lauren Berg (Bemidji, Minn.) finished second in the 400 meters with a season-best time of 1:00.46. In the 800 meters, sophomore Erin O'Connor (Chicago, Ill.) placed second in 2:34.34, followed by sophomore Mariah Brooks (Rochester, Minn.) in third at 2:38.81. First-year Taylor Dean (Hutchinson, Minn.) added a third-place finish in the 600 meters with a time of 1:42.91.

Junior Bella Lund (Mound, Minn.) finished fourth in the 60 me