College notebook: Northern Sun adjusts conference track schedule
Feb. 20—The Free Press
MANKATO — The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has adjusted the dates for the men's and women's indoor track championships, which will be hosted this weekend by Minnesota State at Myers Field House.
The two-day event has been moved back to Saturday and Sunday, and the format of the meet will remain the same, though it is still subject to change.
Athletes finishing in the top three, as well as the top two relays, will receive all-conference honors.
The meet features 15 women's teams and 11 men's teams. The Northern Sun has four women's teams ranked in the top 25 of the weekly United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll: Minnesota State (1), Winona State (8), Concordia-St. Paul (21) and Wayne State (24). For the men, Minnesota State is ranked No. 13.
Basketball changes
Minnesota State's first-round game in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball tournament has been moved up three hours Tuesday.
The Mavericks will play at Minnesota Duluth, starting at 3 p.m.
The winner advances to the tournament quarterfinals Saturday at The Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Hockey rankings
The Minnesota State men's hockey team remained at No. 12 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, and moved up a spot to 12th in the USCHO poll.
The Mavericks are coming off a split with Bemidji State, winning 4-1 and losing 3-2 in overtime.
MSU will host Michigan Tech Friday and Saturday.
Men's track awards
Minnesota State's Ezekiel Clark has been named the NSIC men's indoor Track Athlete of the Week, while Carson Dittel won NSIC men's indoor Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Dittel cleared 17-feet-0.25 in the pole vault to win the Maverick Invitational. He's the second athlete in MSU history to clear 17 feet, and ranks seventh in the nation in the pole vault.
Clark won the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.7, which ties him for third in school history in the event. He's tied for 13th nationally in the 60.
Hurst wins award
Minnesota State's Lexie Hurst earned the NSIC women's indoor Field Athlete of the Week award, it was announced Monday.
Hurst set a meet record in the shot put at the Maverick Invitational (52-feet-2) to claim the individual title. Hurst leads the nation in the event.
She also took second in the weight throw (55-feet-4.75).
Goalie award
For the fourth time this season, Gustavus Adolphus' Katie McCoy has been named the MIAC's defensive player of the week for women's hockey.
McCoy helped the Gusties win twice last week, making 22 saves in victories over St. Olaf. She had her ninth shutout of the season, which leads the NCAA.
The Gusties, which won the MIAC regular-season championship, will host a semifinal game of the conference tournament Saturday.
Bethany softball awards
Bethany Lutheran's Haley Stockman was named the UMAC's softball Player of the Week, while the Vikings' Kayla Senne was the league's Pitcher of the Week.
Stockman went 6 for 11 with two home runs for Bethany over the weekend.
Senne struck out nine in a complete-game victory over Concordia.
Bethany tennis
The Vikings' Olaitz Azkue Muguruza was named the tennis (north) UMAC Player of the Week.
Olaitz won her match at No. 1 singles 8-0 Friday, before winning her No. 2 doubles match 6-0.
Bethany track
Bethany's Stephanie Witbrod was named the UMAC's women's indoor Field Athlete of the Week, the league announced Monday.
Witbrod now sits ninth in Division III in the triple jump after recording a mark of 38-feet-7. The leap also set a new UMAC triple jump record.
