SOMERS, Wisc.--The Bellarmine University women's track and field team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championship today at the Univesity of Wisconsin-Parkside.  The Knights started the day in second but scored victories and accumulated important points in what Bellarmine Director of Track and Field Jim Vargo called "a total team effort" to overtake Lewis University and claim Bellarmine's first ever conference championship in indoor track and field. 

The top point producer for the Knights was Carissa Martin (left), who won both the mile run and the 800 meters as well as anchored the winning distance medley relay team.  For her efforts, Martin was named the 2012 Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.  

Vargo, who earned "Coach of the Year" honors, said that Bellarmine earned points in 16 of the championship's 18 events. 

Athletes winning their individual events are automatic All-GLVC selections with the remaining all-conference selection to be named on Tuesday. 

For Bellarmine, event winners (in addition to Martin) included: Julia Zalewski (Weight Throw), Meghan Shagena (5000 meters), Angela Musk (3,000 meters), and the Knights took two relays: the 4x200 (Rachel Eyckmans, Meghan Jones, Olivia Wrocklage, Elaine Kuntz) and the distance medley relay (Maggie Wagner, Kristin Hamrick, Molly Culbertson and Carissa Martin).

Other outstanding performances included a school record in the pole vault as Erin Dwenger cleared 3.46 meters and finished second in the event. Nora Bowe took second place in the 55 meter hurdles and tied for third in the high jump.  Meghan Jones also pointed in numerous events including seconds in the 400 meters and high jump and a fourth place in the 200 meters. Rachel Eyckmans had a runner-up finish in the 55 meters, and freshman Emily Frith had third place finishes in both the 5K and 3K.  In addition to her victory in the 3,000 meters, Musk was second to Martin in both the mile and 800. 

COMPLETE RESULTS


FINAL TEAM RESULTS:

                    Women - Team Rankings - 18 Events Scored
===========================================================
    1) Bellarmine      177.50     2) Lewis           168.50
    3) Indianapolis    124.50     4) Missouri S&T     60.50
    5) William Jewell   54        6) Southern Ind.    38  
    7) St. Joseph's     35        8) Wis.-Parkside    21  
    9) Drury            10       10) Northern Ky.      6  
   11) Maryville (Mo.)              4                                          
 
                    Men - Team Rankings - 18 Events Scored
============================================================
    1) Indianapolis     189        2) Missouri S&T     94  
    3) Bellarmine        85        4) St. Joseph's     73  
    5) Lewis             66        6) Wis.-Parkside    58  
    7) Southern Indiana  53        8) William Jewell   47  
    9) Drury             28       10) Maryville (Mo.)   8  
   11) Northern Ky.       1