HOUSTON, Texas - North Dakota captured three more event titles - two by seniors - to secure a runner-up finish today at the 2012 Great West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship including setting a new conference record in the 1,500-meters.
The Sioux finished with 146 points, which was topped only by four-time champion Utah Valley's 292.50.
Senior Emily Emerson (Lino Lakes, Minn.), running the final race of her decorated career, won the 1,500-meters setting a new GWC record. She clocked a time of 4 minutes, 27.29 seconds surpassing the previous record set by South Dakota's Ramsey Fitsimmons' time of 4 minutes, 31.85.
Senior Mikaela Hirst (Bismarck, N.D.) won the triple jump with a mark of 11.25 meters (36 feet, 11 inches).
Sophomore Taylor Brett, who won the indoor pole vault championship earlier this year, repeated the feat today, topping 3.25 meters (10 feet, 8 inches).
"I was injured all last year," said Brett. "I have been training hard in order to finish strong, so it feels great to have accomplished that feat."
Megan Gray (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn.), who was second in the heptathlon yesterday, earned another runner-up finish in the high jump. She cleared 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches), while teammate Ashley Fedie (Fr., Chanhassen, Minn.) placed seventh with a mark of 1.50 meters (4 feet, 11 inches).
Senior Lindsay Anderson (Leeds, N.D.) was the runner-up in the 5,000-meters, crossing the line in 17:42.05.
Senior Christine Weinreich (Pismo Beach, Calif.) recorded her third runner-up performance of the meet, taking second in the discus with a throw of 44.14 meters (144 feet, 10 inches). Teammate Chantel Urban (Fr., Surrey, N.D.) was fourth with a mark of 39.22 meters (128 feet, 8 inches).
Kirsten Haas cracked the top five in a pair of events. The junior from Belgrade, Mont., was the runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.92. She also took fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.87 seconds.
Three UND runners scored in the 800-meters, led by freshman Jessica Lindsay (Grand Forks, N.D.), who took third with a time of 2:13.87. Teammates Victoria Lutz (So., Park Rapids, Minn.) and Savana Weller (So., Sauk Centre, Minn.) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
Haas and Lindsay also helped the Sioux finish fifth in the 4x400 relay. They combined with teammates Jenna Gillson (So., Grand Rapids, Minn.) and Anne Van Heel (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) to record a time of 3:55.98.
