Pipers improve indoor MIAC standing

The men’s placed third and the women’s came in fifth at the Indoor Championships last weekend, which was a significant improvement for the team compared to the previous season.

The Pipers’ track and field improved their standings from last year at the 2014 MIAC Indoor Championships. Both field teams’ recorded several first place finishes and the men’s added a first place finish on the track.

Before the season, senior captain Travis Latzke said their goal was to improve their mark from last year.

“We definitely want to score more as a team and try to get some more MIAC Championships,” Latzke said.

Heading into the meet Latzke was in a good position. At Macalester’s pre-conference meet, he performed the longest jump in conference all indoor season and was rewarded with the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honor.

At the conference meet, Latzke finished first in the long jump just as he was ranked, which added some quality team points to help improve the Pipers’ finish.

Junior Jessica Putland was also ranked first in a field event. She also was ranked first in the weight throw followed by fellow teammate junior Erin Urbanowicz at second. After their efforts at the pre-conference meet, Putland’s set a higher goal for the team to finish at first in conference.

“I also would really like to see me and my weight teammates to get the top four spots in weight throw: Erin Urbanowicz, [sophomore] Shawvona Mitchell, [senior] Alana Profit and I all have good chance of doing so,” Putland said.

Putland was also aiming to finish in the top three for shot put at the competitive meet.

“It is really tough competition in the shot put this year, but I am counting on the adrenaline of the big meet to help me,” Putland said.

Both of Putland’s individual goals were met as she placed first in the weight throw with 16.44 meters and third in the shot put. Urbanowicz had finished in second behind Putland in the weight throw as she threw a distance of 16.32 meters. Both finishes were the farthest weight throws all season in the MIAC.

Junior Mark Volker added to the list of the Piper first place finishes. He placed first in the pole vault and continued his undefeated streak in that event as he contributed points to the high finish for the men’s side.

Junior Will Warmka won the 600 meter relay as he broke the stadium’s record for best race time in that event, which was a huge accomplishment for Warmka.

The Piper’s also performed well in the triple jump. On the men’s side senior Amani Lee finished first and Latzke came in second. For the women’s, sophomore Carolyn Saulsberry finished second and broke the school record on her jump.

The week before the meet, Marolyn Saulsberry said she was nervous heading into the meet because she’d be competing against other athletes who had more experience than her.

“I know what to do in most of the events I’m doing but to a certain extent,” she said. “ I know when I get there I’ll push it out.”

With her nerves set aside, Marolyn scored in a few events. This included her best in the 60-meter hurdles where she placed third.

To conclude the meet, the men’s finished with 115.5 points as they came in third, which was one place higher than their last year’s finish. The women’s team scored 68 points to place fifth, which was also a significant improvement from last year when they placed ninth.

The NCAA D-III Indoor Championships will be a two day event on March 14 and March 15. Afterwards the outdoor season of track and field will resume on April 4 and hopefully the weather will clear up to provide a pleasant season for the squad. The Pipers will open this season at the Hamline Invitational.

Putland said she was content with the team’s final results and that she’s looking forward to the outdoor season. Putland commented on finishing first in the weight throw and third in the shot put.

“It feels really wonderful but also a bit unreal. I didn’t come into the season expecting to be this successful, but I am so happy that my hard work has paid off,” Putland said. “I am really excited for the outdoor season because it is longer and warmer and I feel I can build off my success that I’ve had in indoor.”

After the Indoor Championships, the Pipers will host the two day Hamline Invitational here at Klas Field over the weekend of April 4 and 5. Hopefully the team will have some momentum coming off of the Indoor Championships to carry into the invitational, which would provide some confidence going into the outdoor season.