The North Dakota State Track and Field teams hosted the annual two-day Bison Open this past Friday and Saturday. Both the men and women broke numerous records and swept multiple events.
Women’s jumps had a day! They took first in all four events. Friday night, Sophomore Julia Gherardi took first in the pole vault clearing 13’ 01.5”. In the high jump, Arienne Birch took the title by jumping 5’ 08.75”. In the long jump, Grace Emineth won with her best jump of the season, 19’ 05,25”. And winning the triple jump, Joy Nnantah, for the third time this season, won with a 38-09.75.
On Friday, after being named the Summit League Women’s track peak performer of the week, Kendra Kelley set the new meet record in the 300m with a time of 38.33. Continuing on the track, the 60m hurdles were swept by NDSU. Sydney Ardnt finished third, Bailee Dierks in second, and taking first with a time of 8.47 was Salmata Korgho to win the event. Before the meet, Ilise Jennings was named one of the Vogel Law Firm Student-Athletes of the Week. Jennings continues her success this season and won the 60m dash with a time of 7.49.
The hurdles were dominated by the Men’s team as well. In the preliminaries of the 60m hurdles, Blake Nyenati ran a 7.81 to set a new NDSU record. Junior, Brock Johnson also moved up to seventh all-time in NDSU history with a time of 8.01. Moving up on the all-time list as well, was Freshman Trey Heinrich. Heinrich set a new personal record time of 8.06. In the finals of this event, Blake Nyenati finished first, Logan Mathieu second, Johnson third, and Heinrich fourth. Nyenati set a new record in the 60m hurdles, he moved up the ranks to spot 41 in the nation.
Paired with Ilise Jennings, Cullen Curl was deservingly named the Vogel Law-Firm Student-Athlete of the Week. Curl won the 400m clocking a 49.28. Carter Elde took second in the 400m as well. Elde continued and ran the 600m to take the title by setting a new meet record with a time of 1:20.86. On the track as well, Jayden Williams won the 60m dash and tied the twenty-year school record. The time from Jayden Williams set a new facility record at the Shelley Ellig Indoor Complex.
This weekend, the Bison look to keep their momentum alive and will travel to Massachusetts to compete in Boston University’s David Hemery Valentine Invitational.