ORANGE CITY, IOWA – The strong performances of the University of Sioux Falls Men's and Women's Track and Field Team continued on Thursday at the opening day of the Red Raider Open, hosted by Northwestern College. USF recorded seven personal-bests, three-top-10 program marks, won a relay title and had 11 top-eight finishes.

The Cougars will again compete at the meet on Thursday with field events and multi-event competitors competing at 11 am.

Women's Recap
The Cougars picked up a title in the 4x800-meter relay with a time that finished just out of USF's top-10 all-time. The team of Cassidy O'Meara, and freshman Gracie Bucher, Jessica Lutmer and Marcella Sierra covered the distance in 9:48.30. USF also placed third 10:27.75 with the relay of sophomore Annika Aho, junior Tianna Voigt, sophomore Moriah Bullerman and senior Hanna Ebert.

In the women's hammer throw, USF had a pair of personal-best as three placed in the top eight. Leading the way was junior Mackenzie Bengtson, who was second at 46.28m – 151-10. Her throw was less than a foot from the top-10 all-time at USF. Senior Ally Welch placed fifth with a personal best of 42.72m – 140-02. Freshman Kamry Lindsey was eighth at 40.43 meters -132-07.75 while freshman Kayla Van Osdel had a personal-best in placing 12^th at 32.75m – 107-05.5.

In the javelin throw, senior Ally Welch was seventh in 27.76m – 91-01.

Kenna Comstock was fifth in the pole vault by going J3-10m – 10-02 while Mackenzie Adams took seventh at J2.50m – 8-02.5.

Emily Swanson won all four of the contested heptathlon events and leads the competition with 2,805 points. She had two personal-bests in the four events contested with three more events schedule for Thursday. She won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.93, a personal-best, and 851 points. In the high jump, she had a jump of 1.58m – 5-02.5 for 712 points and she won the shot put in the multi-event competition at 10.06m-33-00.25 for 533 points. Swanson had a PR in the 200-meter dash by going 27.03 for 709 points. She bettered her previous personal best by .02.  On Thursday, Swanson will compete in the 800-meter run, long jump and javelin throw. She has her focus on bettering her 2021 mark of 4,244 which ranks third all-time at USF.  

Men's Recap
In the hammer throw, USF placed four in the top seven and five among the top 11 with three throws among the top-10 all-time at USF. Senior Patrick Hagan finished second with a throw of 48.14m – 157-11.25. Hagan's throw ranks top-five all-time but is a little short of his PR of 166-6.50 in 2019.  Junior Jaymeson Wolkow was fourth at 45.96m-150-09.5 as he had a personal-best (142'8, 2022).

His throw ranks eighth all-time. In sixth place was sophomore Tyler Hiatt, who had a personal-best of 43.03m – 141-02.25  for 10^th all-time. Sophomore Marek Rex was seventh at 43.02m – 141-01.77 with an outdoor PR and his throw was just short of the top-10 all-time. In addition, sophomore Dawson Davito who was 11^th at 36.51m – 119.09.50.
Freshman Denver Decker placed sixth in the javelin throw at 39.35m – 129-01.25.