NSIC CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL RESULTS

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – It's not too often an event like the javelin comes down to the final throw.

On Saturday, during the final day of the NSIC / US Bank Outdoor Track & Field Championships, it came down to the last two.

Minot State University's Cody Schmidt (Fr., Javelin, Stanley, N.D.) bested teammate Phillip Streccius (Sr., Javelin, Minot, N.D.) on his final throw one toss after Streccius had taken over the lead. The best toss of the day changed hands three times in the final five competitors leading to Schmidt's event-winning throw of 62.76-meters at the University of Sioux Falls' Lillibridge Track & Field Complex.

"Just having Phil hit his mark calmed me down," said Schmidt about his final throw. "I was hoping he would get a good one and was happy when he did. We pushed each other all year and both knew we could get it, we just had to do that, go get it."

The top two finishers started off a successful day for the Beavers as MSU had three placewinners in the men's and women's javelin, broke two school records and had two competitors reach NCAA Division II Provisional qualifying marks.

Along with Schmidt and Streccius, Kayla Lewis (Fr., Javelin, Pinesdale, Mont.) finished third in the women's javelin. The men's 4x100-meter relay team of Tyler Flatland (Sr., Hurdles, Watford City, N.D.), Glyn Borel (Sr., Sprints, San Jose, Calif.), Farai Madungwe (Jr., Sprints, Harare, Zimbabwe) and Chigozie Anaukwu (So., Sprints, Kaduna, Nigeria) lowered the school record they broke last week to finish fifth with a time of 41.93 seconds and Flatland erased a 35-year old record by going 52.68 in the 400-meter hurdles. Flatland in the 400 hurdles and Streccius, who threw a personal best 60.66 meters, earned provisional marks.

"The day started out really well with the guys going 1-2 in the javelin and just kept going overall from there," said MSU head coach Stu Melby. "Phil and I have been together for five years and he has been through a lot. He came up huge in his sixth and final throw, it was a great way for him to end his collegiate career. He has done a great job on and off the field. That provisional mark will get him recognized as an academic All-American.

"Tyler will get recognized for the third time with him getting the provisional mark. Again, it was really nice to see him set the record and get that mark on his final hurdles race. Both guys (Flatland No. 23 and Streccius No. 27) could move up if other guys don't declare for the nationals. You never know what might happen."

Streccius and Schmidt were ranked 1-2 heading into the competition Saturday and it seemed much of the competition they would walk away in that same order. But, Southwest Minnesota State's Will Hanson launched a 59.98-meter throw on his final attempt, forcing both Beavers' throwers to come up with something better.

"It really helped when the SMSU guy threw his mark," Streccius said. "It motivated me. I didn't want to lose to him. It got me going and it got the crowd going to see one like his and I just wanted to beat that throw. Cody and I talked about being 1-2 coming in and we wanted to leave that way, so I can't be mad that my teammate beat me. It was a great event, really fun to come down to the last throw like that.

"It was awesome to be able to get that on my last throw, especially coming back from the injury."

Schmidt will most likely get an invitation to the NCAA Division II Championships in two weeks as he is sitting in 12 th place in the country at the moment. After taking nearly three years off from competitive throwing, he was happy to get a chance to perform in a big meet.

"I did some competitions last year unattached, but nothing like this," he said. "I've come a long way this year. It was slow at the beginning, but I've been building up. I know I have a lot of potential in me. I was a little nervous coming in because I was ranked high in high school coming into the state meet a couple times and didn't do well at state. It was nice to get it done in a big meet."

Flatland finished the day with three medals, second in the 400 hurdles, fifth in the 4x100 and eighth in the 4x400 relay. He nearly defended his title in the 400 hurdles as a last moment dive to the finish line came up just a little short, falling to Jay Cooper of the University of Mary by six one hundredths of a second.

"I've never had the guts to dive like that, but I knew it was my last meet. I just went for it," he said. "It was a good day for us overall. We really pull for one another and I think it helped that we had some good performances all day. To go out with a group of guys (in the relay) and have a good time and get the podium is great."

The 4x400 relay team of Flatland, Borel, Madungwe and Josh Sandy (Sr., Sprints, Velva, N.D.) finished with a 3:23.18.

"Guys like Josh, Phil, Tyler and Darin (Darin Malafa, Hurdles, Bismarck, N.D.) really did a great job for us," Melby said. "Josh had two PRs this week and did a great job on the relay and Darin came so far this year and was just outside yesterday of the finals. All of our seniors represented Minot State very well – they will be hard to replace."

The women's 4x400 relay team of DelRay Audet (Jr., Hurdles, Minot, N.D.), Mary Roy (So., Sprints/Jumps, Mount Vernon, Ore.), Erica Clark (Sr., Mid-Distance, Gardena, Calif.) and Sienna Dailey (Sr., Sprints, Glasgow, Mont.) finished sixth overall with a 3:57.27. Roy had a huge PR in the triple jump to finish fifth with a leap of 38-feet-3¼. Dailey ended her fantastic career with a fifth and Audet raced to sixth in the 400 hurdles with a PR of 1:03.16. Lewis was the highest placewinner on the women's side with her 38.62-meter toss in the javelin.

"The javelin throwers are amazing here, we support each other like crazy," she said. "I felt some pressure coming in and feel like I had a good day. I had a good throw early and it was fun to lead the pack, but it just wasn't meant to be. I'm OK with the results, though, you have to hit everything right and I was consistent, just lost late."

"Mary had a great start for us on the women's side with a couple PRs right away," Melby said. "DelRay knocked off seven tenths in her 400 hurdles race and Sienna has been nursing an injury, but pulled through for us today."

The MSU men's team moved up from one point to 32 on Saturday, tying Concordia University, St. Paul for ninth. The women scored all of their 20 points on day 2 and finished 11th overall.

Melby indicated the university would know as early as Sunday night if Streccius or Flatland earned national bids.