St. Olaf College Women’s Track and Field Shines at MIAC Championships
St. Paul, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women’s track and field team achieved impressive results at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at Macalester Stadium on Friday and Saturday. With five first-place finishes and ten All-Conference performances, the team finished fourth overall among twelve institutions, accumulating a total of 118 points.
Finishing just 13.5 points shy of third-place Bethel University and 22 points behind second-place Concordia-Moorhead, St. Olaf fell under the championship title won by Gustavus Adolphus College, who topped the team leaderboard with 170.5 points. Notably, the five first-place finishes marked a significant high for the program, last achieved in the 1999-2000 season.
Senior Alison Bode notably swept both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter runs, marking her as potentially the first athlete from St. Olaf to achieve such a feat in MIAC history.
Friday Highlights
On Friday, St. Olaf amassed 64 points, positioning themselves second in the standings, just three points behind Concordia-Moorhead. The day’s events kicked off with the 1,500-meter run, where senior Sophie Abernethy secured her first MIAC title with a time of 4:38.09, finishing notably ahead of the runner-up.
Aberethy was supported by teammates junior Ella Landis, junior Lauren Walda, senior Jules Fromm, and first-year Abi Lindquist, who collectively scored by placing third, fourth, fifth, and eighth in the event, respectively. This marked a historic performance for Abernethy as she became the first of the program since 2002-03 to win the conference title in this event.
Bode capped the day by dominating the 10,000-meter run in 35:35.82, securing a first-place finish ahead of the competition by over three minutes. First-year Arabella England also earned All-Conference honors by finishing third in the same event.
The day concluded with St. Olaf’s 4×800-meter relay team, consisting of sophomore Siri Erickson, Fromm, Landis, and Abernethy, winning with a time of 9:17.96, breaking a facility record that had stood since 2015, and earning their second consecutive title in the event.
Saturday Recap
On Saturday, Wyatt further distinguished herself by winning the 800-meter run in a record-breaking time of 2:09.44, surpassing Megan (Daymont) Thomas’ previous record. This victory also represented Wyatt’s second MIAC title and ranks her 14th nationally this season.
Bode continued her stellar performance by winning the 5,000-meter run in 17:14.72, further solidifying her status as a leading competitor, while junior Walda captured third place in the same event.
Sophomore Mara Larson made her presence felt by finishing second in the high jump, contributing to St. Olaf’s overall success. The Oles’ 4×400-meter relay team clinched third place with a time of 3:59.14, adding to the team’s collection of All-Conference accolades.
The competition marked significant personal achievements for several athletes, with sophomore Otelia Lighthill improving her performance in the discus throw, placing fifth, while St. Olaf’s 4×100-meter relay team also reflected a strong showing, securing a top-10 time in program history.
Overall, the MIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships highlighted the determination and talent of the St. Olaf women’s track and field team, further establishing their competitive prowess on a conference scale.
