WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD: Mbenoun captures 1st individual NSIC title for Beavers since 2011

Feb. 28—MANKATO — Mid-distance runner Maryse Mbenoun won the 600-meter run Saturday to become the first Bemidji State women's track and field athlete to capture an individual Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title since 2011.

The Beavers took sixth as a team at the NSIC Indoor Championships in Mankato.

Mbenoun, a junior, clocked a time of 1:35.37 to break her own indoor program record for the 600 from a week ago. Her title is the first for BSU since Kristi Buerkle won the 400 at the 2011 NSIC Indoor Championships. Saturday was only Mbenoun's third as a Beaver.

Junior thrower Zoe Christensen earned all-conference honors alongside Mbenoun by taking second in the shot put with a throw of 48 feet, 6.25 inches. Christensen's throw was a personal record and hit the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark, the fourth time hitting the mark in the shot put this season.

Junior mid-distance runner Ryne Prigge also broke a BSU indoor record for the third straight week and the second time this season in the 800. Prigge finished just outside of all-conference consideration in fourth place with a time of 2:15.31. She previously broke her own BSU indoor record in the event on Feb. 12 before hitting the NCAA D-II provisional qualifying mark at the NSIC Indoor Championships.

Ten BSU athletes recorded top-eight finishes in seven events. Five Beavers set seven personal records on the day.

NSIC Women's Indoor Championships Team Results

1- Minnesota State 178

2-Augustana 155

3-U-Mary 105

4-Winona State 57

5-Northern State 44

6-Bemidji State 28

7-St. Cloud State 27

8-Concordia-St. Paul 26

9-Minnesota Duluth 25

10-Wayne State 22

11-MSU Moorhead 21

12-Sioux Falls 20

13-Minot State 14

14-SW Minn. State 13

15-Upper Iowa 6