FARGO, ND – A tremendous weekend performance by the University of Mary men's and women's track & field teams featured the Marauders earning six NCAA provisional qualifying marks and four event titles at the North Dakota State University Bison Open on Friday and Saturday.
 
"This weekend was a great start to our biggest stretch of competitions leading up to conference and nationals," said Marauders head track & field coach Cale Korbelik. "We had six national qualifying marks and numerous season and lifetime bests. The team competed with grit throughout the 2-day meet and gained momentum with every event. As a team I'm proud of the way we took on the challenge of competing against some great competition. This is just a beginning for the Marauders."
 
Opening day for the men's team got off to a tremendous start with two victories and two qualifying efforts. 
 
Raheem Taitt-Best and Jorgen Paulson went 1-2 in the 200 meter dash with both scholar-athletes recording NCAA qualifying marks. Taitt-Best just edged Paulson by .05 seconds. After Paulson set the standard with a clocking of 22.06 seconds in the first section of runners, Taitt-Best bested Paulson by winning the second section in 22.01 seconds. Taitt-Best ranks 25^th nationally and Pauson is 32^nd in NCAA Division II.  
 
Taitt-Best later earned his second and the UMary men's third NCAA qualifying time of the weekend with a second place effort in the 400 meter run. Crossing the finish line in 49.34 seconds, Taitt-Best claimed runner-up honors and ranks 35^th in the country.
 
Joseph Patchen-Mills registered the Marauders other weekend title as he won the 600 meter run, finishing the event in 1:24.29. In a good showing for UMary, Joseph Eberle (1:25.67) was third and Tanner Schiller (1:25.68) was fourth.
 
Aleix Garbajosa garnered the fourth qualifying mark for the Marauders men. Clocked at 1:53.86 in the 800 meter run, Garbajosa finished third in the event overall. This is the second time this season Garbajosa has broken the qualifying standard. He currently stands 32^nd in the country.
 
Other Marauders who posted Top 8 finishes and scored team points:

• Malakhi Stevenson scored 4,267 points in the heptathlon to earn 5^th place
• The 4x400 meter relay team of Paulson, Howell, Garbosa and Taitt-Best placed 6^th (3:34.60)
• Dillan Kovash cleared 4.46 meters in the pole vault to place 6^th
• Logan Wentz places in two events, earning 6^th in the triple jump (12.42 meters) and 9^th in the long jump (6.32 meters)
• Logan Barnes was 8^th in the high jump (1.93 meters)
• Akil Howell placed 7^th in the 400 (50.03)
• Brian Miller ran the 1000 in 2:39.04 to place 7^th

 
Overall the Marauders finished 3^rd in the men's team standings out of 12 teams with 77 points.
 
The UMary men's and women's track & field teams next compete at the South Dakota State University Indoor Classic on February 10-11.
 
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