Multi-Event U Generates Huge Team Momentum At The MIAC Heptathlon
Multi-Event University might not have taken away individual title honors at the MIAC heptathlon, but they placed three athletes in the Top 4 and four in the Top 7 to give Concordia 21 team points to start the MIAC Outdoor Championship Meet which translates into an 11-point lead heading into next week’s team competition.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. (5/01/26)---Multi-Event University might not have taken away individual title honors at the MIAC heptathlon, but they placed three athletes in the Top 4 and four in the Top 7 and came away with a huge burst of momentum to start the overall conference championship meet.
The Cobbers' four place winners gave Concordia 21 team points to start the MIAC Outdoor Championship Meet which translates into an 11-point lead heading into next week's team competition.
Not only did Concordia have success at this year's MIAC heptathlon, the future looks awfully bright for the Cobbers as their Top 3 finishers are all first-year athletes and the four podium honorees will all be back next year.
Lauren Pearson and Kaili Malvey were tied for the lead after Day 1 at the meet and continued to battle back-and-forth during the three events on Day 2. Eventually, Pearson used a season-best time in the 800 meters to beat Malvey by only nine points in the final standings.
Pearson finished the seven events with a personal-best total of 4,511 points and placed second, while Malvey was third with a PR of 4,502.
The totals for Pearson and Malvey would have won last year's MIAC heptathlon and put them right on the bubble to qualify for the outdoor national meet. Pearson is in the No. 22 spot and Malvey is 23rd.
Lauren Selle earned fourth-place honors by a single point as she also finished with a PR total. Selle scored 4,441 points over the seven events and her total puts her in the Top 26 of the country.
Abby Lovelace was the final member of the Cobber quartet who scored team points at the meet. She finished seventh with a total of 4,062 points
Concordia's Top 4 finishers marked the first time in program history that CC has had four athletes score above 4,000 points.
Taylor Christenson completed her second MIAC heptathlon by finishing with 3,709 points. That total is a personal best and 312 points clear of her total at last year's meet.
Pearson's top point total in an event on Friday came in the 800 meters where she clocked a 2:27.05 and earned 730 points.
Malvey excelled in the jumps over the two days and posted 614 points in the long jump with a mark of 17-00.75. Malvey also won the javelin competition with a PR distance of 113-11 which was good for 566 points.
Like Pearson, Selle and Lovelace had their best point total on the second day come in the final event – the 800 meters. Selle clocked a 2:28.23 and came away with 715 points while Lovelace crossed the line in 2:25.55 and earned 750 points. Lovelace's time earned her the event win in the 800 meters among the 18 athletes.
Christenson had her top mark come in the javelin where she scored 558 points with a personal best toss of 112-05. Her distance put her in second place in the event.
The five Cobber multi-event athletes will join the rest of Concordia when they host the annual Cobber Open on Saturday, May 2 at 1 p.m.
2026 MIAC Heptathlon Final Scores
1. Claire Stein, St. Olaf – 4,604 points
2. Lauren Pearson, Concordia – 4,511
3. Kaili Malvey, Concordia – 4,502
4. Lauren Selle, Concordia – 4,441
5. Ellie Hernes, Bethel – 4,440
6. Tessa Myatt, Macalester – 4,304
7. Abby Lovelace, Concordia – 4,062
8. Maddox Lee, Gustavus – 3,986
9. Svea Frantzich , St. Olaf – 3,939
10. Emily Podulke, Gustavus – 3,935
11. Caroline Kelleher, Carleton – 3,845
12. Morgan Hanlin, St. Benedict – 3,816
13. Claire Keech, St. Olaf – 3,712
14. Taylor Christenson, Concordia – 3,709
15. Annika Walsh, St. Olaf – 3,694
16. Ally Tyvoll, Bethel – 3,567
17. Reese Laposky, St. Benedict – 3,565
18. Brooke Baumann, Hamline – 3,264