SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls Track and Field Teams started the outdoor season strong at the Wildcat Classic last weekend, and are looking to continue that streak at the University of South Dakota Early Bird meet in Vermillion, S.D. on Saturday, April 2. 

Click here for live results. Fans can also check out the outdoor history by viewing USF's top 10 marks all-time - click here . 

Last weekend (March 25-26), the Cougars competed at the Wildcat Outdoor Classic in Wayne, Neb. While there, USF tallied 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, while Emma Hertz had NCAA DII provisional marks in both the discus and hammer throw. In total USF had 10 titles, 29 top-five finishes, and several top-10 marks at the first outdoor meet of the season.

Before the outdoor season began, the Cougars were projected to finish seventh (women) and ninth (men), respectively, in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll released Friday, March 18. 

USF Women's Season Recap So Far -- Whipps named NSIC Outdoor Athlete of the Week for the first time
With the first meet of the outdoor season under their belts, the USF Women's Team is looking to expand on their strong start last weekend. 

For the first time in her career, junior Kayleigh Whipps was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Week. At the Wildcat Outdoor Invite in Wayne, Neb., Whipps, a junior from Eau Claire, Wisc., had an impressive day for USF, including winning the 3000 meter steeplechase with a clocking of 12:07.59. The mark by Whipps ranks seventh-best outdoors in USF school history and is her first-career outdoor title at USF. In addition to the title and top-10 mark, she ran to a second-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles (1:24.60) in her first attempt at that event.

Senior Emma Hertz had NCAA DII provisional marks in both the discus and the hammer throw at the Wildcat Classic. 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. 

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).

USF Men's Season Recap --
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). 

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). 

Looking Ahead
The Cougars will continue the outdoor season next weekend, splitting the team between the Minn. State Open & Multi in Mankato, Minn. and Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa on April 8-9. USF has a handful meets afterwards before heading to the NSIC Outdoor Championships in Aberdeen, S.D. on May 12-14.