Several area athletes complete collegiate indoor track and field season

     Several area athletes recently completed the collegiate indoor season at the NCAA Division II and Division III level in track and field.

     Park Rapids’ Austin Carlson and Isaac Overmyer competed at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Park Rapids’ Mady Vaudrin and Nevis’ Jordan Feder competed at Minnesota State University Moorhead, Menahga’s Andrea Korvela competed at Northern State University, Park Rapids’ Tori Lauderbaugh and Nevis’ Taylor Drury competed at Bemidji State University, and Park Rapids’ Summer Ellefson competed at St. Thomas University.

Carlson, Overmyer run at Duluth

     Carlson helped the Bulldogs in the sprints and sprint relays in his sophomore season while Overmyer provided depth in the distance events as a freshman.

     Duluth opened the season by winning the title at The Opener at St. Scholastica on Dec. 5 with 274 points. Carlson took eighth in the 300 meters in 38.15 and ran on the fourth-place 4 x 400 relay team that clocked a 3:40.45. Overmyer took eighth in the mile in 4:39.90 and ran on Duluth’s sixth-place 4 x 400 relay team that clocked a 3:48.69.

     At the Northwest Open at the University of Minnesota on Jan. 9, Carlson took ninth in the 200 in 24.44 and 11th in the 400 in 55.74 and followed by placing 11th in the 400 in 53.99 and running on the runner-up 4 x 400 relay team that clocked a 3:38.55 at the University of Minnesota Open on Jan. 16.

     At the Twins Ports Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Jan. 23, Carlson took fifth in the 200 in 24.34 and ran on two winning relays. Duluth won the sprint medley relay in 3:38.24 and the distance medley relay in 10:57.68. Overmyer took third as a member of the 4 x 1,600 relay that clocked an 18:14.36 and fourth on the 4 x 800 relay that clocked an 8:41.80.

     Both competed at the Warren Bowles Open at Menomonie on Jan. 30 with Carlson placing 29th in the 200 in 24.30 and running on the winning 4 x 200 relay (1:33.05) and 4 x 400 relay (3:28.80) while Overmyer took 25th in the 3,000 in 9:15.60.

     The Lake Superior Challenge at St. Scholastica on Feb. 6 saw Carlson place fifth in the 400 in 52.55 and run on two winning relays. Duluth won the 4 x 200 relay in 1:33.66 and the 4 x 400 relay in 3:31.08. Overmyer led the field in the 3,000 in 9:07.57.

     Carlson took 19th in 55.31 in the 400 and ran on the runner-up 4 x 400 relay that clocked a 3:30.08 at the St. Thomas Showcase on Feb. 12.

     At the Yellowjacket Open at Superior, Carlson was fifth in the 200 in 24.08 while Overmyer finished seventh in the mile in 4:33.79 and 11th in the 800 in 2:09.02.

     In the regular-season finale, Carlson was seventh in the 400 in 52.91 while Overmyer took sixth in the 3,000 in 9:01.00 at the Snowshoe Open at the University of Minnesota on Feb. 19.

     Duluth ended the indoor season by placing fifth out of 11 teams at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships at Mankato on Feb. 26-27 with 59.20 points. Mankato took first with 209.20 points. Carlson was 20th in the 400 in 52.78 and led off the Bulldogs’ 4 x 400 relay team that took third in 3:24.35 while Overmyer placed 10th in the 3,000 in 8:58.39 and 19th in the 5,000 in 15:50.74.

Vaudrin, Feder compete at Moorhead

     Vaudrin competed in the sprints in eight meets while Feder competed in six meets in the high jump as sophomores for MSU Moorhead.

     At the season-opening Dakota Classic at North Dakota State Dec. 4-5, Vaudrin finished sixth in the 60 in 8.33 and ninth in the 200 in 27.50 while Feder cleared 6 feet to tie for eighth place.

     The Dragons returned to Fargo for the NDSU Classic on Jan. 16 with Vaudrin placing 14th in the 200 in 27.75 and 17th in the 60 in 8.25 and Feder tying for 18th place by clearing 5-10.

     At the South Dakota State Open on Jan. 22, Feder cleared 6-2.75 to finish third while Vaudrin was 10th in the 60 in 8.40 and 11th in the 200 in 27.74 while running on the 4 x 400 relay team that took eighth in 4:20.41.

     Both competed at the Cobber Duals at Concordia on Jan. 30 with Vaudrin placing 15th in the 60 in 8.44 and 17th in the 200 in 28.19 while Feder took 12th in the high jump by clearing 5-11.25.

     Vaudrin ran on the winning 4 x 200 relay team that clocked a 1:49.26 and was fifth in the 200 in 27.56 while Feder finished sixth at 5-9.25 at the Cobber Open at Concordia on Feb. 6.

     At the Thundering Herd Classic at NDSU, Vaudrin was 14th in the 60 in 8.47 and 17th in the 200 in 27.93 while Feder tied for seventh at 6-2.75.

     Vaudrin closed out the regular season by tying for fourth in the 60 at 8.39 and taking eighth in the 200 in 27.92 at the Bemidji State Twilight meet on Feb. 19.

     Moorhead finished fourth in the men’s meet with 79.20 points and ninth in the girls meet with 27 points at the NSIC Indoor Championships at Mankato on Feb. 26-27. Vaudrin finished 27th in the 60 in 8.34.

Korvela runs at Northern

     Korvela had a solid freshman season in the middle distances for the Wolves.

     In the season-opening South Dakota State Invitational on Jan. 22, Korvela finished seventh in the 800 in 2:24.02 and ran on the sixth-place 4 x 400 relay team that clocked a 4:17.63.

     Korvela was the runner-up in the 600 in 1:43.55 and ran on the winning distance medley relay team that clocked a 13:21.12 at the Cobber Duals at Concordia on Jan. 30.

     After finishing 15th in the 600 in 1:39.65 at the SDSU Indoor Classic on Feb. 12, Korvela was seventh in the 800 in 2:24.69 and ran on the fourth-place 4 x 400 relay that clocked a 4:08.68 at the Thundering Herd Classic at Fargo on Feb. 13.

     In the regular-season finale, Korvela finished seventh in the 800 in 2:22.62 and ran on the 4 x 400 relay that took third in 4:07.36 at the SDSU Tune Up on Feb. 19.

     At the NSIC Indoor Championships at Mankato, Korvela finished ninth in the 600 in 1:40.15, ran on the eighth-place distance medley relay that clocked a 12:57.10 and ran on the ninth-place 4 x 400 relay that clocked a 4:03.68. Northern State finished sixth in the team standings with 41 points.

Lauderbaugh, Drury compete at BSU

     Lauderbaugh capped off her senior season by competing in four meets in the high jump while Drury capped off her sophomore season by competing in one meet for the Beavers.

     Lauderbaugh cleared 4-3.50 to place 18th at the Cobber Duals at Concordia on Jan. 30, cleared 4-7 to place ninth at the Lake Superior Challenge at St. Scholastica on Feb. 6, cleared 4-7 to finish sixth at the Yellowjacket Open at Wisconsin-Superior on Feb. 13, and cleared 4-7.50 to tie for fifth place at the Beaver Twilight on Feb. 19.

     Drury competed at The Opener at St. Scholastica on Dec. 5, placing sixth in the high jump by clearing 4-3.25 and taking 13th in the shot put with a distance of 31-4.75.

Ellefson runs at St. Thomas

     Ellefson capped off her senior indoor season by helping the Tommies win the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship for the 17th year in a row.

     Ellefson ran on the runner-up 4 x 400 relay team that clocked a 4:01.44, finished fourth in the 1,000 in 3:00.51 and took seventh in the 800 in 2:20.36 as St. Thomas compiled 100.90 points to top the 12-team field at Northfield on  March 4-5. St. Benedict was second with 54.70 points.

     During the regular season, Ellefson finished sixth in the 1,000 in 3:03.93 at the St. Thomas Opener on Jan. 22 and helped the Tommies win the team title at the St. Olaf Invitational by running on the winning 4 x 400 relay that clocked a 4:09.21 and taking second in the 600 in 1:39.90.

     Ellefson was the runner-up in the 800 in 2:19.47 and ran on the third-place 4 x 400 relay that went 4:01.03 at the Select Meet at Waverly, Iowa on Feb. 6.

     At the St. Thomas Showcase on Feb. 12, Ellefson finished seventh in the 800 in 2:20.30 and followed by placing fourth in the 600 in 1:38.37 at the University of Minnesota Open on Feb. 20. Ellefson closed out the regular season by running on St. Thomas’ winning distance medley relay that clocked a 11:59.50 at the St. Olaf Open on Feb. 26.