BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji State University track and field teams completed their first day of the 2007 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday with the men holding tight to first place in the team standings and the women holding down the fifth spot at the BSU Fieldhouse.
Day one of the event featured four field events, four preliminaries and and the men's and women's distance medley relay.
The highlight of the day for the day for the Beavers was the performance of junior Shenna Devine. Coming in as the nation's top shot putter, Devine continued her undefeated season in the event, earning the 2007 NSIC Championship with a conference-record throw of 46-11.50. Devine stretched the tape over 19 inches past Bemidji State's Pattie Fitzgerald's 1990 mark of 45-3.75.
Claiming third place in the shot was Lindsey Bergeson. The senior recorded a season-best throw of 42-02.25 for third and six points for the team.
Also scoring points for the BSU women on day one were M'Kelle Tomberlin and Angela Miller. Tomberlin scored two points with a fifth place finish in the long jump, leaping 17-07.50 while Miller cleared 10-06.75 in the pole vault to place fifth.
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In addition to Devine's record-breaking afternoon, a pair of other NSIC marks were bettered. Minnesota State University Moorhead's Jennifer Hensel earned first place in the pole vault with a conference-best height of 13-02.25 -- breaking the old mark (12-0) set in 2000 by fellow Dragon Aaron Clark. In the long jump, University of Mary's Kayla Campbell jumped 18-10.5 to take the title in the event. Her jump breaks the league record set by Adejoke Adedeji of Concordia St.Paul set at the 2004 championships.
On the strength of it jumpers, Mary (N.D.) held a 10-point lead over the field heading into day two (44.50). They were followed by MSU Moorhead (34).
Just six points separates third and fifth place as Winona State University, Wayne State College and BSU are at 26, 24.50 and 20 respectively.
Concordia-St. Paul (8) and Northern State University (4) round of the field still striving to reach double-digits.
On the men's side of things, Joe Remitz measured his best 35-pound weight throw toss of 2007 to capture NSIC honors in the event. His throw of 59-09.00 stands as the best of the season for the junior and could move him as high as 12th on the NCAA Division II performance list.
Senior Justin Cox took third in the weight throw with a distance of 54-01.25, earning all-conference honorable mention honors.
Also earning team points for BSU were Jon Clemons, Mychael Aker and Brock Beidlemann. Clemons posted a season-best 6-4.75 for third in the high jump, Beidlemann was three spots back after clearing 6-00.75 and Aker bested his season-best long jump by 19 inches with 22-07.75 to place fifth.
The Beavers hold down first place as a team with 47 points after garnering 20 points during last week's heptathlon. Defending indoor champion, Wayne State, finished day one right on BSU's heels with 42 points. Concordia-St.Paul finds itself in third with 30, while Northern State, MSU-Moorhead and Mary (N.D.) round out the men's field with 13, 10 and two point respectively.
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The Bemidji State track and field teams will be back in action this morning as the second and final day of the 2007 NSIC Indoor Championships get underway at 9 a.m. with the women's weight throw, triple jump and men's pole vault. Running events are slated to begin at noon at the Gillett Recreation/Fitness Center.
