MARYVILLE, MO. – University of Sioux Falls Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach Doug Petersen was pleased with his team's performance at the Bearcat Open on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6 at Northwest Missouri State.

"It was a good day for both of our teams and I am glad we decided to come here to compete," said Petersen, whose track and field squad will next compete at the Minnesota State Dual on Feb. 12 at Myers Fieldhouse in Mankato, Minn. "We faced a lot of great competition and as a result, put together a number of really standout efforts. The two teams were able to accomplish a lot and it helps as we move toward conference," he said.

 Combined between the USF Men's and Women's Team, the Cougars had 12 top-eight finishes, led by junior David Ecker's title in the 3,000 meters. Ecker clocked a season-best 8:41.96 to win the competition, a performance that places him sixth in the performance list in the NSIC. In the same race, Aaron Voigt was seventh in 8:53.27 and that mark also makes the top-10 in the NSIC. Additionally, freshman Ben Morrison was 10^th in 8:57.18 and Micade Shumway, 16^th, in 9:33.28.

Also for the men's team, Isiah Dancy had a solid meet with two top-10 performances. Dancy was second in the triple jump, going 41-01.75 (12.54m), which ranks 15^th in the NSIC, and finished ninth in the long jump at 19'07 (5.97m).

In the men's mile, Morrison was 10^th in 4:21.30 while Ecker was 12^th (4:22.47) and Voigt, 17^th (4:24.54).

Petersen was also pleased with the multi-event performers. In the men's heptathlon, junior Ethan Holm was ninth with 3,593 points. It is a season-best mark for the junior, who now ranks sixth in the NSIC.

In the women's pentathlon, senior Emily Olson placed eighth with 2,987 points while freshman Emily Swanson was 17^th with 2,404 points. Olson earlier had a mark of 3,015 at the Dakota Realty Meet which ranks sixth in the NSIC but her total today would have placed her seventh if she didn't have the better mark already.

In the women's throws, senior Emma Hertz had another solid day. She finished second in the shot put with a NCAA DII provisional mark of 45-10.75 (13.99m), but she already ranks number one in the NSIC with her throw of 49'10.5 at the Wayne State Wildcat Invite on Jan. 16. She also finished fourth in the weight throw at the Bearcat Invite with a throw of 54'08 (16.66m). It was a mark just behind teammate and senior Kayla Andersen, who was third at 54'09.5 (16.69m). Hertz already ranks sixth in the weight throw in the NSIC but her throw today would be ninth best in the NSIC. Andersen also ranks in the top seven of the NSIC with a better throw than she had today which would also be a top-eight performance.

In the 60-meter dash, junior KaNya Henderson was fourth in 7.83, a mark that places her 11^th in the NSIC. In the 60-meter hurdles sophomore Jailah Brice-Moore was seventh in 9.18, which ranks 10^th in the NSIC.

In women's long jump, sophomore Natalie Meyers was eighth at 17'02 (5.23m) and Cassidy Noeldner, ninth at 16'10 (5.13m). Meyers was just off her best performance of the year (17'3.25, 5.26m), which ranks 17^th in the league. Noeldner had her season-best mark and it ranks 20^th in the NSIC.

Noeldner also placed fourth in the triple jump at 35'05.25 (10.8m), which was just off her best mark of the season (35'7.25, Wayne State Wildcat Invite). She currently ranks 11^th in the triple jump in the NSIC.

Also for USF, freshman Grace Beck was sixth in the 3,000-meters with a season-best 10:45.41. With that clocking, she ranks 10^th in the NSIC. Also in that race today, Lauren Wells was 18^th in 11:15.96.