Minnesota State Mankato wins first team title in Division II women's track and field meet

Minnesota State Mankato won three women's individual titles and its first team title in the NCAA Division II indoor track and field championships this weekend in Pittsburg (Kan.) State.

Sophomore Makayla Jackson of the Mavericks won the 60-meter dash (7.34 seconds) on Saturday after taking first in the long jump (20 feet, 4¼ inches) the day before. MSU's Denisha Cartwright, also a sophomore, won the 60 hurdles (8.39) the second day.

MSU Mankato's final team total was 58. Grand Valley State was second with 51 points. The Mavericks, second in the NCAA meet last year, went unbeaten in all nine of their indoor meets this season.

In other first-day results, Mavericks senior Brea Perron was second in the weight throw (66-9¾) while in the men's meet, junior Nick Hudson was third in the weight throw (68-3¼) to help the men's team finish sixth (27).

Other national champions from the region were Shereen Vallabouy of Winona State in the 400 (53.79) and Mary's D'Andra Morris in the triple jump (42-8).

Sophomore Mya Hooten's third 10 of this season in floor exercise helped the Gophers set a program record in that event (49.750) and easily win a four-team nonconference gymnastics meet at Maturi Pavilion. It drew an announced crowd of 4,240 on senior day, a program attendance record.

Lexy Ramler and Ona Loper, both fifth-year seniors, tied for first in the all-around (39.650) to help Minnesota to a 197.850 total. Utah State was next (195.200), followed by Temple (193.625) and Long Island University (193.200). Ramler won the beam (9.950), Loper the vault (9.925) and they tied for first on bars (9.900).

Natalie DenHartog continued her torrid home-run hitting, tying a program record with the 51st long ball of her career, as the Gophers softball team routed Drake 8-0 in six innings on Autumn Pease's two-hitter in the Bevo Classic in Austin, Texas. But the Gophers lost to host Texas 12-3 in five innings in their second game to fall to 13-11. Nani Valencia hit a solo homer off the Longhorns in her first college at-bat.

DenHartog hit a solo shot in the third inning against Drake, giving her 12 homers this season, including eight in eight games.

•  St. Cloud State's streak of three consecutive NCAA Division II wrestling titles came to an end in St. Louis. Garrett Vos of the Huskies placed second at 133 pounds and teammates Joseph Bianchini at 141 and Kameron Teacher at heavyweight both placed third.

•  The Augsburg wrestling team tied for third in the NCAA Division III meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with 62.5 points — 15.5 points behind champion Wartburg (Iowa). Tyler Shilson at 157 pounds and Tyler Kim at heavyweight led the Auggies by placing third and fourth, respectively.

•  Audra Morrison and Allie Thunstrom each scored twice and Breanna Blesi stopped 36 shots as the visiting Minnesota Whitecaps beat the Metropolitan Riveters 4-2 in the Premier Hockey Federation.

•  Jack Kelly hit a grand slam in the fifth inning for the Gophers baseball team, but it wasn't nearly enough offense in a 15-6 loss to Air Force at U.S. Bank Stadium.