Collegiate Athletes of the Week

In our weekly round-up of Minnesota's small college Athletes of the Week, some familiar names have again risen to the top ...

In the the North Central Conference MSU-Mankato's Katelin Rains and Jim Dilling earned Athlete of the Week distinction for the 4th and 6th time this season, respectively. Rains (pictured) vaulted 13-6 1/2 last weekend, to set the U of M fieldhouse record and the NCAA Division II all-time record. Also honored were half-milers Liz Palkie of the University of Minnesota - Duluth and Pat Lehmann of Mankato.

In the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, St. Mary's thrower Amanda Weinmann earned her conference's weekly notice for the 4th time. Macalester jumper Kaela Schramm earned mention for the 3rd time, while St. John's distance runner Chris Erichsen was honored for the first time this season.

Erichsen clocked an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 5000 meters over the weekend. I'm compelled to quote the last sentence of the MIAC blurb describing Erichsen's effort: "The time of 14:31.32 currently ranks him fourth in NCAA Division III and surpasses the previous Saint John's record of 14:39.1 set by Charlie Mahler in 1985."

In the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, Winona State hurdler Jessica Devine was the lone Minnesotan named Athlete of the Week. Devine clocked a school record 8.28 in the 55m hurdles at the UW-L Dual in her hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Photo courtesy of MSU - Mankato.