North Dakota State track and field teams dominated multiple events out west over the weekend at the UNLV Rebel Invite and the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco.
Women
In Las Vegas, Grace Emineth soared to victory in the long jump with a career-best leap of 20 feet, 10.50 inches (6.36m). The mark not only earned her first place at the meet but also vaulted her to second all-time in NDSU program history. She later added a third-place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 40-06.25 (12.35m).
Sophomore Ella Gardner secured second place in the same event with an outdoor personal-best of 19-11.00 (6.07m). Freshman Nyariek Kur rounded it out for the Bison with a fifth-place finish at 19-03.25 (5.87m). The following day, Kur leaped to a personal-best 41-4.25 (12.60m) in the triple jump to win the event.
The Bison women swept third through fifth place with all three athletes recording personal bests in the hammer throw. Merrideth Spiers led the way at 184-8 (56.29m) for third, Annabel Thorstenson threw 184-5 (56.23m) for fourth, and Adison Kapitzke recorded 181-2 (55.22m) for fifth.
In the high jump, Arienne Birch soared to a mark of 5-10.50 (1.79m), good for second place, finishing behind only three-time U.S. Olympian Vashti Cunningham.
In the 100 meters, NDSU placed four athletes in the top 10. Anika Larson led the pack in 11.61, followed by Elise Wisnewski (11.73) and Riika Tirkkonen (11.76). While all three times were wind-aided, freshman Paige Renschler delivered a wind-legal 11.78, a personal-best that now ranks her 10th in NDSU history. The same sprint crew came together for the 4x100m relay, as Tirkkonen, Wisnewski, Renschler, and Larson teamed up to post 45.87, finishing third in the meet and earning the eighth-fastest time in school history.
In the pole vault, Julia Gherardi cleared 13-00.75 (3.98m), claiming second place. In throws, Alex Seagris took third place in the javelin with a mark of 151-3 (46.12m).
Out west at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco, Reagan Baesler ran a personal-best 16:32.37 in the 5,000 meters. She returned later in the meet to post another personal best in the 1500 meters, clocking 4:23.65 and ranking her seventh in school history.
Freshmen Mia Hoffmann and Jenna DeBates impressed in their collegiate outdoor 5,000m debuts, finishing in 16:59.42 and 17:03.58, respectively.
Men
At the Mike Fanelli Classic on Friday, sophomore Ethan Moe raced to a personal best time of 3:45.39 in the 1500m. This elevated him to third all-time in NDSU history for the event. Moe continued his standout weekend Saturday, returning to the track for the 800m and running 1:50.28, the second-fastest time of his career and eighth best in NDSU history.
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas at the UNLV Rebel Elite Invitational, Zack Ramos made a podium appearance in the field events. He earned third place in the shot put with a throw of 57-10.25 (17.63m).
Alex Roller also headlined the field events with a personal best throw of 219-7 (66.93m) in the javelin. The mark earned him runner-up honors at the meet.
Redshirt freshman Adam Dugger recorded a personal-best 49-06.50 (15.10m) in the triple jump, moving up to seventh in NDSU history. Freshman Reece Grosserode leaped 49-03.50 (15.02m) to secure fourth place, while sophomore Carlton Mukurazita jumped 48-08.00 (14.83m) for fifth.
Jacob Van Dusseldorp cleared 16-06.50 (5.04m) in the pole vault to claim fifth, and Andrew Berg went 6-06.75 (2.00m) in the high jump, also placing fifth.
On the track, Jayden Murdock clocked a personal-best 21.72 in the 200m, with Brooks Turner coming in next at 21.81, another personal record. In the 100m, Murdock again led the Bison with a time of 10.68, just ahead of Jayden Williams, who ran 10.70. Senior Brock Johnsen sprinted to 14.18 in the 110m hurdles which earned him a fourth-place finish.
The teams will be competing on Bison grounds this weekend at Terrence Dahl and Donna Beres Track Complex to host the NDSU Spring Classic.