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Fjortoft, Mueller Pick Up Wins At C-USA Championships
Pettigrew Third In 800m

May 17, 2008

EL PASO (SMU) - SMU's Silje Fjortoft and Christina Mueller each claimed conference crowns with wins at the 2008 Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Kidd Field.

Late Friday night, Fjortoft captured the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 10:33.72 to better the 12-person field. Mueller then won the discus on Saturday afternoon with a 54.26m throw, a mark nearly three meters better than her nearest opponent. SMU's Kylie Spurgeon also competed in the event and finished 11th at 42.59m.

In the 800m, Mustang Ilyssa Pettigrew finished third in 2:09.86. Fjortoft, Mueller and Pettigrew each claimed C-USA All-Conference honors, as the awards are given to the top three finishers in each event. The individual champions are named to the first team, while second-place finishers are awarded second team honors and the third team is comprised of bronze medalists.

Also on Saturday, SMU's Gayla Cloud finished fifth in the 100m hurdles in 13.70 seconds and Nnenna Ejesieme was eighth in the 400m hurdles in 1:05.05.

I don't follow track much, but based on the stories you guys clip from the SMU site ... it sure sounds like this Fjortoft is a star on the rise.

long as we keep importing Scandinavian talent looks like we're gonna win

She is not from Scandinavia...She is from Norway. Yes, she is very talented, but wait until the new recruits arrive.

smu_runner wrote:She is not from Scandinavia...She is from Norway. Yes, she is very talented, but wait until the new recruits arrive.

Norway is a country within the region of Scandinavia along with Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark.

Iceland is considered part of Norway?

More importantly: smu_runner (welcome to the site, by the way), what can you tell us about the new recruits? Are they of the same caliber or even better?

Well I already know that there is a big change by 2009. Coach Wollman went all out. It will be the largest freshman talented class. I don't know their names but I do know that we will have 2 more Heptathletes, a very strong shot putter from South Africa, a great hammer thrower who is also a good shot putter too, and a Javelin thrower to replace Andrea. Plus in the running area, there is a talented New York 3,000 meter runner, a possible distance runner from Iceland, and I believe two more American distance runners(5,000m). In the sprinting field, there are two new sprinters who run low 24s from Houston. Plus they are the missing puzzle piece for the 4x4. SMU finished 7th place at Conference and broke the school record at a high altitude with the time 3:44.61. With the new freshmans, I have no doubt that they will break 3:40. There will be several walk ons too. A CHANGE WILL EMERGE! Go Mustangs!!!!