COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- Junior multi-event athlete Zac Preble (Coleraine, Minn.) rode first place finishes in eight of 10 events to a championship at the St. John's University Decathlon April 13-14 in Collegeville, Minn. Preble posted a score of 6,854 to edge his nearest competitor, Brayden Wagner, by over 600 points and broke his own BSU record in the process.

The junior posted event victories in the 100-meter (11.64) and 400-meter dashes (51.19), high jump (6-0.00), 110-meter hurdles (15.96), discus throw (133-9), pole vault (14-11.00) and the javelin throw (167-7), but the high water mark of the event was his first-place finish in the shot put. He stretched the tape to 47-feet, three inches--a mark nearly 12 feet beyond his closest competitor.

Preble also finished second in the long jump with a leap of 20-3 3/4 and was fourth to cross the finish line in the 1,500-meter run (5:03.63).

Preble's 10-event total of 6,854 surpassed his previous career outdoor-best and BSU standard of 6,672 set during the 2007 campaign, by 182 points. The junior also owns the Bemidji State heptathlon record (5,012) and is coming off an indoor season during which he qualified and competed in the heptathlon at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

Brian Buleke (So., LeCentre, Minn.) also participated in the decathlon for BSU, scoring 4,019 to finish seventh.

In the heptathlon, Bemidji State's Pearl Walker (So., Bemidji, Minn.) registered best multi-event finish of her career at the College of St. Benedict Heptathlon. The sophomore posted event wins in the 100-meter hurdles (17.47) and high jump (4-03 1/2) en route to over 3,100 points and a second place finish.

The Beavers continue the outdoor season April 18 when they will travel to either Minot, N.D. to participate in the Minot State Open or will compete in the Bulldog Invitational in Duluth, Minn.