WAYNE, NEB. -- The University of Sioux Falls Track and Field Teams set a high standard for the outdoor season with a strong performance at the Wildcat Outdoor Classic in Wayne, Nebraska, including eight first-place finishes for the women and two first-place finishes for the men. Tyler Hiatt had an NCAA provisional mark in the shot put (see men's results below) while Emma Hertz had NCAA DII provisional marks in both the discus and hammer throw (see women's results). In total USF had 10 titles, and 29 top-five finishes and several top-10 marks at the first outdoor meet of the season.

"I thought it was a really good first meet for us. We got the cobwebs out. Overall, I thought the coaching staff was really pleased with our performance. It was a little chilly and windy but I thought our student-athletes handled it really well," said USF Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Doug Peterson.

Highlights -- Women
The women's team had an outstanding two days at the first outdoor meet of the year, ending the weekend with eight first place finishes and 16 top-three finishes. 

In her first outdoor competition of the spring, senior Emma Hertz had NCAA DII provisional marks in both the discus and the hammer throw. She won the discus with a throw of 48.40 m (158-09), which would rank second all-time at USF outdoors but her mark of 175-10.25 a year ago is the school record. Hertz also took second place in shot put, with a throw of 13.98 m (45-10.50), and sixth in the hammer throw, with a toss of 53.82 m (176-07), which is an NCAA DII provisional mark.

Sophomore Cassidy O'Meara brought home two first-place finishes for the Cougars, including a 2:23.98 clocking in the 800 meter run and a 4:16.11 time as a member of the winning 4x400 meter relay team. Other team members included Anika Aho (soph.), Gracie Bucher (fresh.), and Khot Juac (soph.). In the 1500 meter run, Juac took first place with a clocking of 4:54.67 which ranks 10th all-time and is her second best of her career. 

Junior Kayleigh Whipps had an impressive day for USF, including a winning time in the 3000 meter steeplechase with her 12:07.59 ranking seventh best outdoors in school history. She also had a second-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles (1:24.60). Sophomore Karlee Simmons won the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:18.69. 

In the field events, sophomore McKenna Comstock won the pole vault with a height of 3.30 m (10-10.00).

Highlights - Men
The men's team had a strong showing for the first meet of the outdoor season, including 13 top-five finishes and two first-place finishes. 

In his first outdoor competition at USF, sophomore Tyler Hiatt had a big day for the Cougars. He placed second with an NCAA provisional mark in the shot put (16.75 m 54-11.50). The throw of 54-11.50 ranks second all-time at USF outdoors. He also took fifth-place finish in the discus (48.64 m 159-07). The discus throw by Hiatt ranks tied for fifth all-time outdoors at USF.

Junior David Ecker had a successful day for the Cougars, including a first-place finish in the 3000 meter steeplechase (9:40.24) and a third-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles (9:40.24). In the 5000 meter run, USF took places 3-5, with Micade Shumway in third (15:30.58), Christian Lietz in fourth (16:29.13), and Justin Steffensmeier in fifth (16:35.68). Isaac Dold also finished in seventh place for the Cougars with a time of 17:21.98. 

Junior Xavier Blackwell had a good day for USF, taking fifth place in the 100 meter dash (11.42) and sixth place in the 200 meter dash (23.36). Freshman Denver Decker took fourth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 53.65. 

In the field events, senior Jake Person brought home a first-place finish for the Cougars in the pole vault with a height of 4.37 meters - 14-04. Freshman Samuel Olson came in second behind Person, with a height of 3.80 m (12-05.50), and freshman Nicholas Cole came in third at 3.20 m (10-06.00). 

Other Women's Results 
100 M Dash
5th - Olivia Fox FR - 13.33 
6th - Emily Swanson SO - 13.35 
 
400 M Dash
2nd - Emily Swanson SO - 1:02.56 
4th - Jordan Hughes FR - 1:04.63 
6th - Myah Roggenbuck SO - 1:06.44 
7th - Sierra Stanton FR - 1:09.89 

800 M Run
3rd - Annika Aho SO - 2:28.85 
4th - Gracie Bucher FR - 2:29.08 
11th - Marcella Sierra FR - 2:42.81 
12th - Hannah Ebert SR - 2:43.55 
16th - Jordyn Williams FR - 2:52.65 
17th - Meagan Blare FR - 2:55.96 

1500 M Run
3rd - Jessica Lutmer FR - 5:00.57
7th - Josephine Boyd SO - 5:17.27
9th - Moriah Bullerman SO - 5:28.13

3000 M Steeplechase
2nd - Karlee Simmons SO - 12:20.37

4x400 M Relay
4th - Sioux Falls 'B' 4:40.49
1) Jessica Lutmer FR 2) Josephine Boyd SO
3) Moriah Bullerman SO 4) Marcella Sierra FR

Pole Vault
2nd - Greta Snaza FR - 2.45m, 8-00.50
3rd - MaKenzie Adams FR - 2.30m, 7-06.50
 
Long Jump
6th - Olivia Fox FR - 4.76m, 15-07.50
 
Triple Jump
6th - Sierra Stanton FR - 9.69m, 31-09.50

Shot Put
10th - Kamry Lindsey FR - 12.16m, 39-10.75 
11th - Kayla VanOsdel FR - 12.12m, 39-09.25 
21st - Emily Swanson SO - 9.93m, 32-07.00 

Discus 
3rd - Kamry Lindsey FR - 45.82m, 150-04 
8th - MacKenzie Bengtson JR - 41.57m, 136-05 
14th - Kayla VanOsdel FR - 34.30m, 112-06 

Hammer Throw
11th - MacKenzie Bengtson JR - 46.12m, 151-04 
17th - Ally Welch SR - 41.28m, 135-05 
25th - Kayla VanOsdel FR - 31.53m, 103-05 

Other Men's Results
400 M Dash
8th - Landon Wenderski FR - 54.87 
9th - Nicholas Muller FR - 54.96 
13th - Aweys Maalim SO - 57.98 

800 M Run
7th - Diego Jaimes JR - 2:06.49 
 
1500 M Run
4th - Caleb Rivera FR - 4:07.85 
10th - Zachary Matzner SO - 4:16.22 
18th - Dan Gide FR - 4:38.93 
23rd - Ashton Schnaser FR - 4:47.43 
26th - Michael Cessna FR - 4:57.60 

4x400 M Relay
6th - Sioux Falls 'A' 3:45.50
1) Zachary Matzner SO 2) Caleb Rivera FR
3) Ashton Schnaser FR 4) Diego Jaimes JR

Shot Put
8th - Jaymeson Wolkow JR - 14.08m, 46-02.50 
11th - Dawson Davito SO - 13.76m, 45-01.75 
13th - Patrick Hagan SR - 13.27m, 43-06.50 

Discus
11th - Patrick Hagan SR - 43.14m, 141-06 
13th - Jaymeson Wolkow JR - 42.80m, 140-05 
16th - Carson Hausmann JR - 39.41m, 129-03 
18th - Marek Rex SO - 38.86m, 127-06 
 
Hammer Throw
12th - Jaymeson Wolkow JR - 43.39m, 142-04 
17th - Brett Deschler JR - 40.00m, 131-03 
20th - Tyler Hiatt FR - 36.79m, 120-08 
23rd - Carson Hausmann JR - 35.28m, 115-09 
25th - Dawson Davito SO - 31.96m, 104-10