By Cley Twigg, Assistant Coach, MSU Moorhead

SPRINTS/RELAYS

This is sure to be an exciting season for the women’s sprints and relays group as it returns most of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 and all of the 4 x 400 that produced the fastest times in years. Junior national champion Jennifer Hensel (Frazee), a four-time All-American and 12-time All-NSIC performer will lead all Dragon charges in 2008. She hopes to improve on her two runner-up finishes in the 100 and 200 meters at last year’s outdoor conference championships. Jennifer makes all the relays contenders and she is a threat to win every time she steps on the track. Junior All-NSIC performer Alison Streyle (Mandan, ND) can lead off all three relays and has a very classy resume. Streyle will make an impact in the open 400 meters or any other event we need her in. Junior conference champion Sara Julsrud (Grand Forks, ND) has run the 400, 4 x 1, 4 x 2, 4 x 4, DMR, and was a contributor on the conference champion 4 x 800 meter and cross-country team this fall. Sara also hopes to improve on a third place finish in the open 400 meters last spring. Sara is a one person gang who is ready for competition this spring. Junior conference record- holder Ashley Roemer (Maple Lake) can run all the relays and is one of the fastest Dragons on this year’s squad. Ashley is a national qualifier in the high jump, NSIC record-holder in the 800 meters, NSIC pentathlon champion and was our number three runner on the 2007 conference champion cross-country team. Ashley will contend for conference titles on most of the relays and any event she chooses to compete in this season. So many events, but so little time. Hensel, Streyle, Julsrud, and Roemer not only score lots of points for the Dragons but they are also on the Academic All-Conference team. Senior tri-captain Oluseyi Amele (Robbinsdale) will give much needed depth and provide experience as she tries to end her career on a high note. Classy freshmen recruits Kirby Black (Grand Forks) and Kristina Anderson (South Range, WI) have state championship 400 meter experience and will keep the above upperclassmen on their toes while trying to crack the line up. We do not have lots of quantity but quality wins
championships.

MID-DISTANCE

2007 Indoor 800 meter conference record-holder Ashley Roemer headlines a group of overachieving middle distance runners who made a big impact last spring. Senior captain Rayna Berndt (Bainville, MT) was the 5000 meter champion, 4 x 800 relay champion and the 1500 meter runner-up to collect her eighth All-NSIC certificate. Berndt also was a member of the conference champion cross-country squad this past fall. Rayna is a first rate competitor, an All-Academic team member and can be counted on to run her best when it means the most. Sophomore Amanda Wickersham (East Grand Forks) debuted in style last season as a member of the conference champion distance medley relay team, 4 x 800 meter relay and earned all-conference honors finishing third in the 1500 meters. Amanda was also a member of the championship cross-country team this past fall. We have big plans for Wickersham in 2008. Freshmen running sensation Anna VanWechel (Fergus Falls) began her collegiate career in style with an individual title in cross country and led our team to the conference championship this past October. Anna had a great track season for the Otters last spring, capturing the mile region crown on her way to state. Watch for Anna to make a hefty contribution in 800 meters to the mile as we attempt to capture our second track and field team title in three years. Sophomore transfer Katy Posterick (Baxter) brings both collegiate experience and depth to the Dragons as she competed for the Duluth Bulldogs last season. Posterick will compete in the long sprints. Utility athlete, Sara Julsrud, ran a leg on the conference champion 4 x 800 meter relay as well last season and has the range to add quality depth when needed.

DISTANCE

Sophomore all-conference performer Kari Bloch (Willmar) is quietly building her collegiate resume as she finished second in the 10,000 meter run and fourth in the 5000 meter run for the Dragons last spring in her first season. Bloch is also a charter member of the All-Academic team while she brings a stable force to the distance program. Senior all-conference performer Michelle Hanson (Dickenson, ND) placed third in the 10,000 meters and adds quality depth to a strong group. Rayna Berndt won the 5000 meters last spring and she is looking to repeat in 2008. Junior Sarah Rebenitsch (Fargo, ND) had a great cross-country campaign last fall and captained the team to a title. Watch for Sarah to make a contribution in the 3000 meter steeplechase as well. Freshmen Danielle Thompson (Grand Forks, ND) debuted in style as she earned all-conference honors, leading the cross-country team to the title. Watch for her to make an equally large contribution in the steeplechase and anywhere else we need her. Danielle had a great running career for Central High and appears to have her collegiate career on track.

HURDLES

All- NSIC 400 hurdlers Alison Streyle and Sara Julsrud will shore up the 400 hurdles and will have their eyes set on a national qualifying mark. Sophomore transfer Danielle Norby (Windom/Concordia College) will be our top short hurdler during the 2008 campaign. Depth could be a problem in this event.

JUMPS

MSUM faces the daunting task of replacing one of the most accomplished jumpers in the history of the women’s program as All-American Jessica Trautwein graduated with 10 individual jump titles to her name and an NCAA post-graduate scholarship in her pocket. National qualifiers Ashley Roemer, high jump, and Danielle Norby (Windom), long jump, will keep the Dragon jumpers in the headlines in 2008. Roemer won the NSIC high jump title last spring and finished 12th in the nation indoors. Her future looks bright. Norby has aspirations to qualify for the national championships this season in the long jump. She has also improved in the high jump and will provide depth in the triple jump. Look for her to contribute in a lot of field events for the Dragons; she is a great addition. Freshmen high jumper Ashley Hagen (New York Mills) has impressed the coaching staff this fall and could contribute in her first season. Freshman Kirby Black (Grand Forks, ND) can not only sprint, but she can jump as well. She has an impressive prep long jump resume and hopes to be a factor for the Dragons this season. These could be very lucrative events for the Dragons if we stay healthy and continue to improve.

HEPTHAHLON/PENTATHLON

2007 NSIC Conference Champion Ashley Roemer is working very hard to repeat in 2008. Danielle Norby continues to improve in all of her events and will be a factor for the title as well. Freshman Andrea Sayler (Breckenridge) has improved each week and will provide much needed depth for the Dragons. This should be a strong event for the Dragons.

THROWS

Basketballer Allison Swenson (Halliday, ND) may throw part time, but she made a full time contribution for the Dragons with a runner-up finish in the discus last spring. Swenson has national qualifying aspirations and I would not be surprised if this senior makes it to the big dance. Much improved sophomore Michelle Jetvig (Hawley) has brought her hard-hat and lunch-pail type work ethic to practice all fall. Do not be surprised if Michelle hits a national qualifying performance with a smile on her face in 2008. Freshman Jasmine Henrichs (Morris) has a very classy prep resume. She has the character and the skills to make a contribution in what has become the best throwing conference in the nation.

POLE VAULT

The 2007 pole vault crew had a season to remember. Jennifer Hensel was the eighth national champion in MSUM history with her first place finish at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Teammate Brooke Wiedrich (Mandan, ND) placed third in the same competition for a total of 16 team points and a tie for 13th place nationally as a team!! Brooke finished her career in style. Jennifer had to defeat three former national champions to win her first title; she is one of our captains and is one of the hardest workers on our squad. Look for Jennifer not to back down this season. She is a very hard working, intelligent, nasty competitor. Oh yeah, Jennifer is also a two time Academic All-American. Sophomore transfer Katie MacRae (Windom) sat out last season and is ready to bring her experience from Bemidji State and compete for the dragons in 2008. Freshman recruit Kaylyn Ronke (Watertown, SD) has impressed the coaching staff this fall and appears ready to add depth to an event that has been very generous to the dragons the past few years.

HEPTHAHLON/PENTATHLON

2007 NSIC Conference Champion Ashley Roemer is working very hard to repeat in 2008. Danielle Norby continues to improve in all of her events and will be a factor for the title as well. Freshman Andrea Sayler (Breckenridge) has improved each week and will provide much needed depth for the dragons. This should be a strong event for the Dragons.