Taylor Berg took first place in both the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter races on the second day of the MIAC championships, helping the women’s track and field team win its ninth-straight outdoor MIAC title.

The men captured their second consecutive title.

The weather was a factor for the athletes since windy conditions coupled with below average temperatures made for inconsistent weather all day long. Snow even made an appearance.

Coming into Saturday’s races, the men’s team sat in first place with 94 points, and the women had 16 points and ranked seventh. The day kicked off with the men’s javelin and triple jump and the women’s hammer throw and pole vault.

Jumper Eyo Ekpo led the Tommies, placing first in the triple jump. Ekpo recorded his best score in round one of the competition at 13.81 meters. The three-time All-American and a national runner-up in the triple jump passed on his last two attempts because of tightness in his legs.

Ekpo said it was in large part due to the weather, and he didn’t want to make a same mistake three times.

“In the weather like this, there is a lot of chance where you can get injured if you don’t take care of your body,” Ekpo said. “It was a long day, two events. I wasn’t feeling the best, so I did make the best move and not really pull anything. The past two years I’ve pulled a groin at this meet, so just trying to make it out in one piece.”

While Ekpo dominated the competition in the triple jump, junior thrower Haley Zajac battled two Pipers and a Gustie in the hammer throw. Zajac finished a close fourth at 45.47 meters, missing third place by just more than a meter.

St. Thomas’ 4×100 meter relay team consisted of Ryan D’Kae, Aba Omot, Charlie Pechous and Cody Jerabek. The Tommies were toward the front of the pack for most of the race, but near the finish line, Bethel and St. Olaf started to pull away. St. Thomas finished just under half a second behind them.

The women’s 4×100 meter team took first place. Mallory Burnham was the lead runner and started strong. She passed the baton to Emily Van Heel, Christina Rozeske passed to anchor, Angela Tipp, who then brought it home for the Tommies. The team finished at 48.72, which was a full second faster than second-place Augsburg.

Berg distanced herself away from the pack around the third lap of the 1,500-meter run, and her lead only grew each the lap. She finished the race at a time of 4:41.48, 12 seconds faster than the second-place runner.

Berg said her game plan for the weather helped her win.

“I was supposed to sit, kick and draft, so the wind wouldn’t play a role,” Berg said. “The wind did make it harder to run, but nobody would take the lead so I just took it, and it felt good.”

Burham kept the women’s team’s success going in the 100-meter hurdles. Burnham came in with the top qualifying time and ended the day with the top finishing time. She pulled out the victory with a time of 14.71.

Women’s coach Joe Sweeney said since the Tommies were down in the standings after day one, today’s finishes were what the team needed to push for the title.

“All of our big guns really need to perform and achieve what they have to do and so far they have,” Sweeney said. “I think we’re on our way, and everything will be great.”

Freshman Brian Jarvey upset two seniors from Bethel and St. John’s in the 400-meter dash to take first with a time of 48.65. Jarvey started out in the middle of the pack, but started to creep up to the leaders, and by the 100-meter mark, he was ahead of the pack.

Bethel runner Rob LeMay and St. John’s runner Kevin Horton finished in second and third respectively. LeMay finished with at 48.889 and Horton with a time of 48.895.

Tipp continued her success later in the day as she took home first place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.58

A Tommie trio took all three podium positions in the men’s shot put as Bryan Thell (15.48 metes), Matt Schauer (14.90), and Omot (14.75) finished 1-2-3. In the triple jump, Van Heel took second place with a score of 11.66, just .07 meters behind the leader.

Up next for St. Thomas is the Last Chance Meet in La Crosse, Wis. Nationals are set for May 23-25 in La Crosse.

Jesse Krull can be reached at krul7386@stthomas.edu.