DES MOINES, IOWA – ABERDEEN, S.D. -- With a school record by David Ecker at the Drake Relays and three wins from Emma Hertz at the Northern State spring open, the University of Sioux Falls Track and Field Team continued a strong start to the spring outdoor season. USF had three more NCAA DII provisional marks, including two by Hertz in the discus and shot put and Miranda Phipps in the javelin. In addition, USF had four titles and 13^th top-10 program marks at the two competitions.
 
At the Drake Relays, Ecker took sixth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a school record clocking of 9:16.75, which is also the top time in the NSIC. Ecker broke the mark set of 9:18.36 by Dan Armstrong in 2019. Also in the steeplechase, Aaron Voigt was 10^th in 9:31.89, which was a personal-best by nearly 15 seconds (9:46.70). Also at the Drake Relays, KaNya Henderson of the Women's Team was fourth in the 100-meter dash in 12.11 which ranks fourth all-time at USF but off her school record mark of 12.07 set earlier this spring.
 
Emma Hertz continued her strong outdoor season by claiming three victories in throwing events where she had two provisional marks and top-10 program marks in all of them. Hertz won the shot put with a toss of 15.20m – 49-10.50w which ranks as her second best throw of the outdoor season (50-8.25, South Dakota Challenge, April 9), fifth in NCAA DII and in the top four all-time at USF. In addition, Hertz won the discus in 51.42 meters – 168-0, which is a DII provisional mark and the second best throw of her career, ranking second all-time at USF. It is the top throw in the NSIC and ranks fifth in NCAA DII. Hertz also captured the hammer throw in 51.67m -169-06 which was  a top five throw in program history. 
 
In the javelin, USF's Miranda Phipps continued to have a dominating season with another title and her throw of 43.43m – 142-06 was an NCAA DII provisional mark and the third-best throw in program history outdoors. It was her top performance in the event this spring, ranks 25th in NCAA DII and is the top performance in the NSIC by nearly eight feet.
 
USF's Jaimie McNamee finished second in the hammer throw at 50.92-167-01, which ranks in the top-five all-time at USF. She was third in the discus at 44.75m – 146-10, which ranks in the top 10 but off her best of 153-0.25. Kayla Andersen was fifth in the discus at 42.47m – 139-04, which ranks seventh all-time and her best outdoor throw.  Cali Boden finished seventh at 47.00m-154-02 and MacKenzie Bengtson, 8^th, 46.60m- 152-11 in the hammer throw and top-10 marks at USF.
 
In the men's 800-meters, Logan Hansen finished first in 1:55.91 at the NSU Open. Ben Mandel's clocking of 15.24 was third at the meet and ranks ninth all-time at USF.
  
Other Women's Marks –  NSU Spring Open
Shot Put -- Bailey Rudebusch, 10^th, 12.03m, 39-05.75, Cali Boden, 23^rd, 10.38m, 34-00.75; Emily Olson, 27^th, 9.75m, 32-00.00; and Emily Swanson, 29^th, 9.38m, 30-09.
Discus – Cali Boden, 8^th, 40.46m, 132-09; MacKenzie Bengtson, 9^th, 40.13m, 131-08; Bailey Rudebusch, 22^nd, 33.90m, 111-03
Hammer Throw – Miranda Phipps, 9^th; 45.39m, 148-11; Kayla Andersen, 11^th, 44.89m, 147-03;  Bailey Rudebusch, 12^th, 43.82, 143-09; and Ally Welch, 26^th, 37.18m, 122-00
100 meters -- Cassie Hohrman, 10^th, 13.67
200 meters -- Cassie Hohrman, 15th 28.04
400-meters -- Annika Aho, 6^th, 1:01.76; Holly Mayers, 9^th, 1:03.46
800 meters -- Khot Juac, 6^th, 2:20.89; Tianna Wald, 9^th, 2:24.39; Zoe Cigard, 10^th, 2:25.60; Emily Swanson, 16^th ,  2:36.36; Emily Olson, 22^nd, 2:50.62
100 hurdles – Emily Olson, 4^th, 15.54
400 hurdles -- Anna Kenny, 5^th, 1:11.11
4x400 -- Annika Aho, Cassidy O'Meara, Khot Juac, Tianna Wald, 5^th, 4:14.58
High jump -- Taylor Stoltz, 6^th, 1.53m, 5-00.25; Emily Swanson, 8^th, J1.53m, 5-00.25; Avery Bartunek, 15^th, J1.48m, 4-10.25; Emily Olson, 16^th, J1.48m, 4-10.25
Pole vault -- McKenna Comstock, 7^th, 2.86m, 9-04.50; Clara Leverich, 10^th, 2.06m, 6-09.00
Long jump -- Cassidy Noeldner, 8^th, 5.23m, 17-2.00; Avery Bartunek, 11^th, 4.98m, 16-04.25
Triple jump -- Cassidy Noeldner, 5^th, 11.01m, 36-01.50; Clara Leverich, 14^th, 9.23m, 30-03.50
Javelin -- Bailey Rudebusch, 14^th, 30.80m, 101-00; Ally Welch, 24^th, 25.37m, 83-03
 
Other Men's Results – NSU Open
100-meters -- Xavier Blackwell, 12^th, 11.64
200-meters -- Ben Mandel, 16^th, 23.52; and Blackwell, 17^th, 23.55
400-meters -- Jayden Slaba, 17^th, 54.23; Robert Rauh, 21^st, 55.36; Diego Jaimes, 26^th, 56.40; Aweys Maalim, 27^th, 56.90
800-meters – Zach Matzner, 5^th, 1:59.23; and Wil Modjeski, 12^th, 2:03.01
1500-meters - Christian Lietz, 10^th, 4:17.24; Chase Lather, 11^th, 4:18.19; Edwin Iraheta, 16^th, 4.29.98
4x400 -- Logan Hansen, Zach Matzner, Wil Modjeski, Diego Jaimes, 6^th, 3:39.63; Chase Lather, Christian Lietz, Edwin Iraheta, Lucas Steiger, 9^th, 3:50.42
High jump -- Steven Miner, 5^th, 1.80m, 5-10.75
Pole Vault -- Jake Person, 7^th,  J4.25m, 13-11.25
Shot Put -- Dawson Davito, 8^th, 13.89m, 45-07.00; Jaymeson Wolkow, 31^st, 11.54m, 37-10.50; Brett Deschler, 33^rd, 11.00m, 36-01.25; Ethan Holm, 35^th, 9.64m, 31-01.75
Discus -- Brett Deschler, 4^th, 43.79m, 143-08; Carson Hausmann, 9^th, 41.29m, 135-05; Marek Rex, 10^th, 39.76m, 130-05; Jaymeson Wolkow, 23^rd, 34.09m, 111-10; Ethan Holm, 32^nd, 22.51m, 73-10
Hammer throw -- Marek Rex, 23^rd, 40.47m, 132-09; Carson Hausmann, 39^th, 31.61m, 103-08;
Dawson Davito, 40^th, 29.47m, 96-08
Javelin -- Carson Hausmann, 12^th, 38.18m, 125-03; Ethan Holm, 15^th, 32.51m, 106-08