April 17, 2004

NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Bemidji State’s outdoor track and field team travelled to Northfield on Saturday, where the men’s squad competed in the Carleton Relays at Carleton College and the women’s team was entered in the Manitou Classic at St. Olaf College.

Sophomore Christa Pribula (East Grand Forks, Minn.) finished with a 12:08.71 time in the 3000-meter steeplechase, earning her a third-place finish in the event and smashing the school mark held by Josie Muzquiz. The women’s 4x400-meter relay team broke a school record that had stood for 19 years, posting a time of 4:00.94. The team consisted of freshman Nicole Friend (International Falls, Minn.), junior Carla Perry (Lino Lakes, Minn.), and freshmen Lindsey Gregg (Bemidji, Minn.) and Shelby McCrady (Montgomery, Minn.).

Friend also took second place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.77 seconds, the second-best time by a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference athlete this season. Minnesota-Duluth’s Andrea Vake is the only conference runner ranked ahead of Friend in the event.

“These girls have a lot of potential for some high places at the conference meet,” head coach Craig Hougen said. “Pribula, Friend, and the (4x400-meter relay team) will all do well for us.”

The perfomance of the team creates a dilemma for Hougen, as it was without one of its key members during its record-setting run. Academic entrance exams were to blame for the absence of senior Caesare Stimson (Chisago Lakes, Minn.), normally the anchor on the team.

Just across town on the campus of Carleton College, sophomore Adam Wilson (Forest Lake, Minn.) tossed 50-11 1/2 in the shot put, earn-ing him third place in the event and solidifying his position as the second-ranked shot thrower in the NSIC. Wilson is ranked behind only Dan Soldner of Minnesota-Duluth.

Junior Steve Schreiber (Forest Lake, Minn.) finished in a three-way tie for third place in the high jump. Clearing the bar at 6-8, Schreiber fin-ished behind John Albert and Josh Paulson, two jumpers from the University of Minnesota.

The men finished with 43.5 points, placing them ninth among 16 schools entered in the event.

“I thought (the men’s team) had a better-than-average performance today,” Hougen said. “We took some steps forward to hopefully set our-selves up for a good conference meet.”

The next action for the Beavers will be on Tuesday, April 20, when the Cobber Outdoor is scheduled to take place in Moorhead, Minn.