This weekend the University of Minnesota Duluth track and field teams will compete in the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Outdoor Conference Championships. The best part? All the action, from Thursday May 8, through Saturday May 10, will take place right here on the University of Minnesota Duluth’s campus at Malosky Stadium. 

UMD will play host to all schools within the NSIC, which is a total of 14 programs for the women, and 11 for the men. 

Decathlon and Heptathlon events will kick off on Thursday, but the first event of the meet for a Bulldog student athlete will be the men’s hammer throw Friday morning at 11:00 a.m.

“We have 60 student athletes that have qualified for this conference meet and we are excited because we believe each and every one of them can have an impact,” said head coach Karly Brautigam. “I think we have as well rounded a team as we’ve had at the conference level and with it being at home, I know the energy is incredibly high!” 

Brautigam is especially excited about both the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays. This is the first time since she has taken over the program that all Bulldog relays are ranked top-four in the NSIC.

Leading the charge in the women’s 800m event group with the ninth-best average times among all NCAA Division II programs, Savannah Schley will be looking to put a bow on her succesfull outdoor season so far. The senior has been a consistent All-Conference performer over the past four seasons, and is currently second in the NSIC and 25th nationally.

In the women’s triple jump, sophomore Erin Steinman and freshman Alyssah Larson are expected to have strong showings. Both women placed in the indoor conference championship a few months ago. 

Junior Jackson Weston is also an athlete that Brautigam expects will have a great weekend. He is seeded fourth in shot put and ninth in the hammer throw. 

Distance coach Brette Jensen is looking forward to graduate student Shae Hostager’s race in the women’s 10k. She is currently ranked third in the NSIC and 22nd nationally in the event. Shae recently broke the school record in the 10k at the Drake relay, and is also seeded top 10 in the NSIC 5k. 

Additionally, Jensen is excited for reigning 5k indoor conference champion fifth year Jack Van Kempen. He will race in both the men’s steeplechase (ranked third), as well as the 5k, in which he is also ranked in the top 10 in the conference. In the 5k, Van Kempen is currently the school record holder, and also holds the second all-time spot at UMD in the steeplechase. 

Coming off a runner-up all-conference finish in the men’s 3k at the indoor conference championships, fellow fifth year Owen Dickenson is also expected to show up big this weekend. He is currently ranked fourth in the 1500m and fifth in the 800m in the NSIC. 

Follow along with the events of the weekend here. 

CITY SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

OPEN DVISION
QUARTERFINALS
#1 Venice d. #8 Grant, 25-19, 25-16, 25-19
#4 Granada Hills d. #5 Palisades, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16
#3 El Camino Real d. #6 Eagle Rock, 25-15, 25-15, 25-11
#2 Chatsworth d. #7 University, 25-11, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
DIVISION I
(Games at 7 p.m.)
QUARTERFINALS
8 Cleveland at #1 Taft
#5 Marquez at #4 South East
#6 Kennedy ar #3 Marshall
#7 Van Nuys at #2 Carson

DIVISION II
(Games at 4 p.m.)
SECOND ROUND
#17 LACES at #1 VAAS
#9 North Hollywood at #8 Roosevelt
#12 Panorama at #5 Poly
#13 Reseda at #4 Fairfax
#14 San Pedro at #3 Banning
#11 Diego Rivera at #6 Sylmar
#10 Legacy at #7 Vaughn
#18 Bravo at #2 Mendez

DIVISION III
(Games at 4 p.m. unless noted)
SECOND ROUND
#16 Animo Robinson at #1 East Valley
#9 Central City Value at #8 Foshay
#12 Manual Arts at #5 Downtown Magnets
#20 King/Drew at #4 SOCES
#19 San Fernando at #3 Larchmont Charter
#11 Chavez at #6 Angelou
#10 Orthopaedic at #7 Maywood CES
#15 Animo Bunche at #2 Gardena

DIVISION IV
(Games at 4 p.m. unless noted)
SECOND ROUND
#17 Sotomayor at #1 Garfield
#9 Rise Kohyang at #8 Hamilton
#12 LA Leadership at #5 Animo Venice
#20 Belmont at #4 Burton
#19 Animo Watts at #3 Sun Valley Magnet
#11 University Prep Value at #6 Magnolia Science Academy
#10 Port of LA at #7 Contreras
#15 West Adams at #2 Huntington Park

DIVISION V
(Games at 4 p.m.)
SECOND ROUND
#17 USC-MAE at #1 Wilson
#9 Magnolia Science Academy at #8 Bert Corona
#12 Arleta at #5 Animo Brown
#13 Community Charter at #4 Animo South LA
#14 New West Charter at #3 Harbor Teacher
#11 University Pathways Medical at #6 New Designs University Park
#10 Washington at #7 University Pathways Public Service Academy
#15 Academia Avance at #2 Dorsey

Note: Quarterfinals in Divisions II-V, May 12 at 7 p.m. at higher seeds; Semifinals in Open and Division I, May 13 at 7 p.m. at higher seeds; Semifinals in Division DII-V, May 14 at 7 p.m. at higher seeds; Finals in all divisions May 16-17 (sites and times TBD).

Fletcher and Episcopal punched tickets for the Florida High School Athletic Association final four in beach volleyball, winning their regional finals on home sand on May 6.

The Long Beach Century Club continued its annual tradition of making a large gift to the local schools this week, donating $80,500 to Long Beach State, LBCC, and the middle and high school sports programs in Long Beach. The donation represents the largest of the annual gifts the club has made, buoyed by fundraising efforts including their membership drive as well as their annual golf tournament.

“This might be my favorite night every year,” said Century Club president Mike Fillipow. “This is what the Century Club is all about–giving back and helping our schools.”

Representatives from each school were on hand for the meeting, which was hosted in LBCC’s new state of the art aquatic facility (with catering by local stalwarts Naples Rib Company). Long Beach State received $12,500 plus a $2,500 donation to the club’s endowment with the athletic department; LBCC received $7,500; all of the high schools received $3,000; and all of the middle schools received $1,500.

The club’s relationship with the Long Beach Unified School District’s middle schools is especially strong since the Century Club raised money to keep the LBUSD’s All-City middle school sports programs going when they were on the chopping block in 2008.

Each school spoke a little about what they’d do with the money, with plans ranging from covering tournament fees to buying new equipment and uniforms to hosting banquets or purchasing banners to help with the costs of postseason honors.

Fillipow made a challenge to the Century Club membership on hand, saying he’d like to see next year’s donation top $100,000.

“It’s going to take all of us working together to make an even bigger impact,” he said.

Disclosure: The Century Club has donated money to the562’s non-profit.

NORFOLK, Va. – Junior jumper Tia Lucas of NC Central’s women’s track & field team was named the MEAC Women’s Co-Field Athlete of the Week on Wednesday afternoon by the conference office. Lucas last earned this honor during the indoor season.

The James Island, S.C. native finished second in the women’s high jump event at the Duke Twilight on May 4. She cleared 1.71m for a new personal record in the final regular-season meet.

Lucas’ new personal record now ties her second on the HBCU Outdoor Performance list and 10^th in the Southeast region this season.

With the MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships approaching on May 15-17, Lucas will be right with the Eagles in Norfolk, Va., as NCCU starts the postseason. 

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.

EVANSVILLE – Darlene Quinlin says the conversation started years ago.