http://www.miac-online.org/news/2013/5/7/MOTRACK_0507132724.aspx

MIAC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week

Ben Vickstrom, Concordia
Alexandria, Minn. / Jefferson

Concordia hosted its "Spite the Flood Meet" on its campus in Moorhead over the weekend, and though the meet didn't exactly spite Mother Nature with cold, rainy and windy conditions, Cobber sophomore Ben Vickstrom (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson) certainly rose above the less-than-ideal weather with a tremendous performance. Vickstrom won the 100-meter dash with of the top times in the MIAC this season and one of the top times in Concordia history. For his performance, Vickstrom was honored as the final MIAC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week for the 2013 season.

Vickstrom finished first in the 100-yard dash Saturday with a time of 10.96 seconds, which not only won the race, but also registered as the second-best time in the MIAC this season. It also ranks as the fourth-fastest time in Cobber history, and trails the MIAC's top time by just 0.05 seconds. Vickstrom also contributed to the Cobber's first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay, as the foursome finished with a time of 43.45, which was just shy of Concordia's top time this season (43.32). Vickstrom is also in the top 10 in the conference in the 200-meter dash this spring.

Vickstrom and his Concordia teammates hope to continue to peak at the best possible time, with a huge meet on the horizon. The Cobbers - and all MIAC men's track and field teams - will compete in the 2013 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be hosted by St. Thomas on their St. Paul, Minn., campus. The conference meet starts Friday and concludes Saturday.

MIAC Women's Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week

Angela Tipp, St. Thomas
Hudson, Wis. / Hudson

St. Thomas' women's track team has continued the momentum it generated during the indoor track season throughout the outdoor season. At Saturday's Meet of the Unsaintly - hosted in St. Paul, Minn., by Hamline - Tommie sophomore sprinter Angela Tipp (Hudson, Wis.) kept good times rolling for UST with a tremendous performance in the women's 400-meter dash. Tipp finished second and added two other top-four finishes in sprinting events. For her performances, Tipp was named the final MIAC Women's Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week of the 2013 season.

Tipp finished second in the 400 behind only an unattached competitor, as her second-place finish came against a talented field of MIAC and D-II runners. Her runner-up time was 58.77 seconds, and her season-best time of 57.48 leads the MIAC by more than a half-second, and is the 25th-ranked time in all of Division III. Tipp also finished third in the 100-meter dash (12.63) and fourth in the 200 (25.67) over the weekend. This season, she's ranked third in the 200 and fifth in the 100 in the MIAC.

Tipp and her Tommie teammates hope to keep their outstanding season going this weekend on a big stage in front of their home fans. St. Thomas will try to add another conference title after claiming the MIAC Indoor championship in March on its home track Friday and Saturday, as UST hosts the 2013 MIAC Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships in St. Paul, Minn.

MIAC Women's Outdoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week

Kaari Jensen, Concordia
Pierz, Minn. / Pierz

For the second-season in a row, Concordia's Kaari Jensen (Pierz, Minn.) proved to be one of the league's top all-around athletes. The Cobber senior won her second-straight MIAC Women's Outdoor heptathlon title Thursday and Friday at Saint John's. Jensen - who has been one of the top-ranked competitors in the MIAC and all of Division III this season - claimed her second-straight crown by more than 300 total points. For her performance, Jensen was named the final MIAC Women's Outdoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week for the 2013 season.

At the MIAC Outdoor multi-event competition, Jensen finished first in three of the seven events and racked up an impressive point total of 4,754, which was exactly 330 more than the runner up, and just six points off her season best score. Jensen's top score of 2013 is 4,760, which leads the MIAC and ranks No. 2 in the nation. Jensen had the top time in the 100-meter hurdles (15.11) and the top distances in the long jump (17-2.5) and the javelin (116-4), and she cemented her title by finishing second in the shot put and 200-meter dash, third in the high jump and fifth in the 800-meter run.

Though Jensen has already claimed her MIAC championship, her Cobber teammates will try to add more conference accolades this weekend at the full 2013 MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The conference outdoor meet will be held Friday and Saturday on the St. Thomas campus in St. Paul, Minn.