The University of Minnesota Duluth made its first outdoor appearance of the 2016-17 track and field season Saturday at the Hamline University Invitational and came away with three individual titles, broke two school records and posted eight Top 5 finishes.

Recently-minted 2017 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Track Athlete of the Year Emi Trost placed first in the 1,500-meter run and did so in a UMD-, Hamline Invitational- and Klas Field-record time of 4:21.09 (nearly two seconds better than the school mark of 4:23.46, which she set at the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships). Fellow All-American, senior Breanna Colbenson, took top honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:15.40. That also was a Hamline Invitational and Klas Field record and the best clocking ever turned in by a Bulldog (she held the previous program record of 10:20.73). Both Trost's and Colbenson's times were automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Joining Trost and Colbenson in the winner's circle Saturday was sophomore Danielle Kohlwey, who outran 40 other competitors in the 100-meter hurdles (a NCAA II provisional qualifying time of14.08). UMD also received Top 5 finishes from junior Erica Kesseh in the 100-meter dash (3rd place; 12.59), sophomore Allie Stalboerger in the 200-meter dash (5th place; 25.80), freshman Paige DuBois in the 400-meter dash (5th place; 58.98) and sophomore Elizabeth Brunner in the triple jump (5th place; 16'-08.75") while Trost, sophomore Cassidy Baker, freshman Elizabeth Kyes and senior Natalie Stauber teamed up to take second in the 4 x 400-meter relay (3:54.09).

The Bulldogs will be in La Crosse, Wis., next Saturday (April 8) for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Ashton May Inviational.

2017 Hamline University Invitational Results