SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Led by senior Ben Gailfus, the University of Mary put on an impressive show on opening day of the 2016 Northern Sun men's outdoor track & field championships. Gailfus was one of three Marauders to earn all-conference honors as U-Mary compiled 29 team points to sit in third place entering the second and final day of competition.
 
The Marauders trail the University of Sioux Falls and Minnesota State University. The Cougars have 47 points and the Mavericks 43.5.
 
In addition to Gailfus, who placed second in the javelin, Joe Berger and Luxon Glor earned All-Northern Sun honors after earning third in their respective events. Overall seven different Marauders scored on Friday and three more advanced through the track preliminaries to compete in the finals on Saturday.
 
On a cold, wet windy day where weather issues delayed the meet by an hour, Gailfus produced the Marauders best performance of the day. The Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, native uncorked a throw that sailed 51.47 meters to easily claim the runner up slot. Gailfus' throw was 2.44 meters better than the third place mark. In all four years of competing, Gailfus had scored points in the javelin each year for U-Mary. His best previous finish, though, was fourth.
 
Additionally, sophomore Isaac Walth took sixth in the javelin with a top throw of 46.85 meters.
 
A major part U-Mary's opening day surge was the team's effort in the high jump. On an impressive day, three Marauders scored points in the event.
 
The senior from Mandan, North Dakota, led the way. Berger checked in with a top effort of 1.98 meters. Though he was knotted with one other competitor at that height, Berger claimed the higher slot on a tiebreaker.
 
For Berger, this was his best finish at a Northern Sun championship. He placed fourth both inside and outdoors as a sophomore in 2014.
 
Freshman Jack Lamb was right behind Berger in fifth place with a top mark of 1.93 meters. Also checking in at the same height was senior Dustin Rueb, who was pushed back on the tiebreaker.  
 
The Marauders also had multiple winners in the long jump behind the efforts of two freshmen.
 
Glor claimed third place in the long jump, clearing 7.06 meters. Riley Miller, in his first NSIC outdoor championship, landed a distance of 6.85 meters for eighth place.
 
Two Marauders advanced to the finals of the 800 meter run. Teegan Olson turned in the top time in the 800 meter preliminaries with a clocking of 1:58.31. Nathan Inkman was close behind, taking fifth and qualifying for Saturday's finals in a time of 1:58.99.
 
Registering the second best clocking of the day, junior Steven Gordon ran a time of 4:09.20 in the 1,500 meter run to also earn a slot in Saturday's finals.
 
The finals begin on Saturday, May 14, with field events at 11 a.m. and running at 1 p.m.
 
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