MANKATO, MINN. – MARYVILLE, MO. – The University of Sioux Falls Track and Field Team continued its outstanding work in the 2021-22 indoor track and field season with 29 personal-bests, nine top-10 program marks and 23 top-eight finishes with split squads at the Ted Nelson Classic in Mankato, Minn., and the Northwest Missouri University Bearcat Open in Maryville, Mo.

"It was an outstanding day for us at Mankato and at Maryville. The team effort was great," said USF Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Doug Petersen, whose team will head to compete at the SDSU Classic in Brookings on Feb. 11-12 and at the NSIC Indoor Challenge in Mankato, Minn., on Feb. 12.

USF has seven top-10 program marks at NW Bearcat Open
At the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Open, USF had seven program top-10 marks with four top-eight finishes in five events, led by USF Men's Track and Field's David Ecker with two top-five placings as he had career-bests in both the mile and the 3,000 meters. In both races, he had top-10 program marks as he was fifth in the men's mile with a clocking of 4:15.68 for seventh all-time at USF and ranks seventh in the NSIC. In the 3,000-meter run, he clocked 8:27.49 for fourth place and the sixth-best time at USF and also is third in the NSIC this year. In those two same races, Aaron Voigt also had top-10 program marks with a clocking of 4:18.46 for 10^th place in the competition and eighth on USF's all-time list. He also finished 16^th in the 3K with a clocking of 8:43.29 which ranks 10^th all-time at USF.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Cassidy O'Meara was eighth in 2:18.83, which was a clocking ranking seventh all-time at USF. The mark ranks fifth in the NSIC. In the women's mile run, freshman Morgan Gehl was fourth in 5:09.31 which ranks third all-time at USF and eighth in the NSIC. She was also 11^th in the 3,000-meters with a 10:22.20, another mark which is third all-time at USF and 13th in the NSIC.

Other results – Bearcat Open
Men's Mile Run - Ben Morrison, 20^th, 4:21.57; Caleb Rivera, 27^th, 4:24.16; and Micade Shumway, 29^th, 4:25.73
Men's 3,000-meters – Micade Shumway, 30^th, 8:53.46; Ben Morrison, 33^rd, 8:55.26; and Caleb Rivera, 41^st, 9:03.09
Women's Mile – Karlee Simmons (PR), 14^th, 5:24.48; Jessica Lutmer, 21^st, 5:35.04
Women's 3K – Karlee Simmons (PR), 15^th, 10:49.55; and Jessica Lutmer, 17^th, 10:59.63
Women's 800-meters – Annika Aho, 12^th, 2:21.59; Tianna Voigt, 13^th, 2:22.67
 
Ted Nelson Classic – Hiatt, Hertz, Whipps lead way for USF

At the Ted Nelson Classic both Tyler Hiatt and Emma Hertz won titles and had DII provisional marks. And at the competition, USF had a pair of top 10 program marks along with 16 top-eight finishes and the throwing titles along with 20 personal best marks.

Here is the breakdown -
Men's Team  --

Tyler Hiatt had another big effort and put out a DII provisional mark but his throw was just short of his best of the year as he won the shot put with a throw of 16.68 meters – 54-8.75. The mark is his second best and ranks third all-time at USF. He also placed third in the weight throw with a toss of 17.58 meters for 57-8. Also in the weight throw, Patrick Hagan was sixth with a throw of 16.67 meters - 54-8.

With a personal-best, Zach Matzner finished third in the 800-meters by clocking 2:00.15. Also, Christian Lietz was fourth in the 5,000-meters at 15:39.75, which was a personal-best. Sophomore Ben Mandel clocked an 8.36 in the 60-meter hurdles for fifth at the meet. In the sprints Joseph Donahue had personal bests in the 60 meter dash with his 7.11 placing 10^th and his 23.07 in the 200 meter dash was a PR and also placed him 10^th. Xavier Blackwell was 18^th in 23.50 in the 200 and 20^th in the 60-meter dash with personal-bests in each race.

In the 400-meter dash, USF had a team placed eighth in 3:37.63 with a squad of Jayden Slaba, Robert Rauh, Nicholas Muller and Denver Decker.

Other Men's results –
Weight Throw – Brett Deschler (PR), 11^th 15.47 meters – 50-9; Jaymeson Wolkow, 13^th, 14.70-meters – 48-02; Marek Rex, 20^th, 13.07 meters – 42-10; and Dawson Davito, 24^th, 11.86 meters – 38-11
800-meters -- Wil Modjeski, 20^th, 2:05.94
Long Jump – Steven Miner, 13^th, 5.99 meters – 19-08
High Jump – Steven Miner, 9^th, 1.80 meters – 5-10.75
1000-meters – Diego Jaimes, 7^th, 2:46.94
400 meters – Denver Deckert, 15^th, 52.86; Jayden Slaba, 20^th, 54.26; Robert Rauh, 22^nd, 54.73; Nicholas Muller, 25^th, 55.78; Landon Wenderski, 27^th, 56.27; Aweys Maalim, 30^th, 57.56
Mile Run – Miles Olofson (PR), 10^th, 4:32.51; Kade Bullion, 11^th, 3:33.42; Ethan Kraft (PR), 15^th, 4:40.46; Ashton Schnaser, 21^st, 4:57.02; Isaac Dold, 22^nd, 4:59.97; and Scott Obago, 28^th, 5:37.79
4x400-meter relay – 12^th, 3:44.57, Ethan Kraft, Kade Bullion, Miles Olofson and Ashton Schnaser; 13^th, 3:47.72, Zach Matzner, Wil Modjeski, Diego Jaimes and Scott Obago

Women's Review 
Led by senior Emma Hertz, the women's team had a spectacular day in Mankato. Hertz and Kayleigh Whipps won titles.

Hertz won the weight throw with a toss of 19.33 meters – 63-05, which is the second best of her career, a DII provisional mark and second all-time this year with the third title in the event in 2021-22. She was also one of three USF student-athletes to place in the top seven of the shot put. Hertz was fourth with a throw of 13.68 meters -44-10.75 while Kayla Van Osdel was sixth with a personal best of 13.10 meters – 42-11.75 while Kamry Lindsey was seventh with her personal-best of 12.63 meters – 41-5.25

In the 5,000 meters, junior Kayleigh Whipps had a personal best in winning a title, the first of her career, in 18:33.32.

KaNya Henderson continued to excel in the sprints as she was fifth in the 60-meter dash in 7.70, which is a program top-10 best and tied for her best dash this year (7.70, Dec. 3-4, SDSU). She also was fifth in the 200 meter dash in 25.81 which is another top-10 program mark but not her all-time best.

In the mile run, Khot Juac placed seventh with her best indoor mark of 5:29.63 while Josey Boyd was eighth in 5:34.88.

By bettering her personal best by nearly two seconds, Gracie Bucher was fourth in the 800-meters in 2:24.83 while Ella Kolb finished eighth with a personal-best of 2:39.93.

USF also had a pair of 4x400 meter relay squads place in the top seven. The team of Myah Roggenbuck, Sierra Stanton, Jordan Hughes and Olivia Baumberger clocked 4:22.61 to place fifth while the team of Gracie Bucher, Khot Juac, Josie Boyd and Ella Kolb was seventh in 4:31.08.

Other Results -
Weight Throw – Mackenzie Bengtson, 9^th, 15.23 meters – 49-11; Kamry Lindsey (PR), 13^th, 14.54 meters – 47-08; Ally Welch, 18^th, 13.42 meters – 44-0; and Kayla Van Osdel, 23^rd, 12.71 meters -41-08.
400-meters – Emma Kenkel, 10^th, 1:00.61; Holly Mayers, 17^th, 1:02.81
Pole Vault – Kenna Comstock (PR), 11^th, 3.11 meters – 10-2.5; Greta Snaza, 16^th, 2.81 meters – 9-02.5; Makenzie Adams, 20^th, 2.36 meters – 7-8.75
Long Jump – Abbi Webb (PR), 10^th, 5.12 meters – 16-09.75; Natalie Meyers, 110^th, 5.05 meters – 16-07; Olivia Baumberger (PR), 12^th, 5.04 meters – 16-06.50; Makayla Keffeler, 23^rd, 4.56 meters – 14-11.50; Olivia Fox, 25^th, 4.44 meters – 14-06.75
Triple Jump – Makayla Keffeler, 11th, 9.49 meters – 31-1.75; Sierra Stanton, 11^th, 9.46 meters – 31-0.50
60-meter hurdles – Emily Swanson, 9^th, 9.33; Sierra Stanton, 22^nd, 10.48
60-meters – Myah Roggenbuck, 20^th, 8.34; Natalie Meyers, 21^st, 8.364; Olivia Baumberger, 24^th, 8.45; and Olivia Fox, 31^st, 8.59
200-meter dash – Natalie Meyers, 19^th, 27.28; Emma Kenkel, 21^st, 27.41; Myah Roggenbuck, 27^th, 27.85; Olivia Fox, 32^nd, 28.50
800-meters – Marcella Sierra, 11^th, 2:44.41; Jordyn Williams (PR), 14^th, 2:56.54; and Meagan Blare, 15^th, 2:58.76