January 18, 2025

VERMILLION, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) captured two event titles Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division I meet, the University of South Dakota Invitational.  The indoor track & field meet was held on Mildred J. Hillenbrand Memorial Track inside the USD DakotaDome, featuring schools from South Dakota, South Dakota State, Morningside (Iowa), and Sioux Falls (S.D.).

Chantz Minear highlighted the Trojans in the 60-meter hurdles with a new school record for the second time this season.  He clocked a time of 8.11 seconds to finish third in the prelims and advanced to the finals.  Aaron Van Hemert added a time of 8.77 seconds, while Caden Gortmaker hit a personal record time of 9.61 seconds.

Minear established a new school record time of 7.89 seconds to win the 60-meter hurdles title.  He improved his NAIA 'A' automatic qualifying time, which currently rank him second in the NAIA.

Minear was also a member with the winning 4 x 400-meter relay team with Evan Armstrong, Nolan Slominski, and Braden Peterson.  They produced a season best time of 3 minutes, 23.29 seconds to win the title.  Their time is the sixth fastest in the school record book.

Lukas Bennett, Payton Anderson, Lane Henrichs, and Brayden Houlette also competed in the 4 x 400-meter relay, placing sixth in 3:37.68.  Ben Witt, Mattix Hausman, and Aaron Van Hemert followed up with a seventh-place finish in 3:41.61.

Bennett led the Trojans with a seventh-place finish in the 60-meter dash prelims with a time of 6.98 seconds, advancing to the finals.  Peterson was ninth with 6.99 seconds and did not advance to the finals.  Also, in the 60-meter dash prelims included Willie Hutchins – 7.18 seconds, Tayshaun Agard – 7.38 seconds, Tysen Grinde – 7.53 seconds, Javon Newkirk – 7.81 seconds, Bergen Irey – 7.97 seconds, and Jordan Upton – 7.98 seconds.

Anderson clocked a personal record 23.91 seconds in the 200-meter dash.  Hausman added 25.28 seconds, while Newkirk finished the race in 25.52 seconds.

Witt was 11^th in the 400-meter dash in 53.82 seconds, followed by Houlette with a time of 53.92 seconds.

Grinde cleared the height of 1.94 meters (6 feet, 4.25 inches) to finish fifth in the high jump.  Gortmaker was ninth in the long jump after leaping his career best 6.27 meters (20 feet, 7 inches).  Newkirk registered 5.79 meters long jump mark (19 feet).

Five Dakota State runners placed in the top 10 of the 800-meter run, led by Franklin Johns with a personal record time of 1:59.10 for a fourth-place finish.  Logan Recoy added a fifth-place finish in 2:01.64, followed by Mohamed Muse with a seventh-place finish in 2:02.55.  Holden Jelen was eighth in 2:02.98, while Yohannes Kassa finished 10^th in 2:03.63.

Also, in the 800-meters, Dawson Miller finished with a time of 2:06.04, Tyler Nicke – 2:07.81, Curtis Johnson – 2:09.75, Bergen Irey – 2:16.97, Lucas Harr – 2:20.38, and Hunter Dimick – 2:43.83.

Caleb Sayler finished eighth in the 1-mile run with a time of 4 minutes, 31 seconds.  Blake Schmiedt was 12^th in 4:35.60.  Lane Henrichs clocked a personal record of 4:36.35, followed by Jonah Thiele with a personal best 4:46.86 and Grayson Madsen with a career best 4:47.89.  Reese Henrie finished with a time of 4:55.03, David Brock in 5:09.82, and Kaiden Akey in 5:35.22.

Joshua Tucker clocked a time of 9 minutes, 24.33 seconds to collect a fifth-place finish in the 3000-meter run.

James McClain led the Trojans with a fifth-place finish in the shot put, tossing 15.79 meters (51 feet, 9.75 inches).  Lukus Mentele added 10^th place finish with 15.08 meters toss (49 feet, 5.75 inches), followed by Trenton Moran with an 11^th place finish with 13.97 meters toss (45 feet, 10 inches).  Brock Tuttle hit a personal record 12.71 meters toss (41 feet, 8.5 inches), followed by Robert Begalka with 12.03 meters toss (39 feet, 5.75 inches), and Joshua Shaffer with 11.89 meters toss (39 feet, .25 inches).

Jack Hemmen produced a career best 15.08 meters (49 feet, 5.75 inches) to place ninth in the weight throw for DSU.  Houston Lunde added 14.82 meters (48 feet, 7.5 inches) to finish 11^th.  Other DSU weight throwers results included Kacey Cauley – 14.79 meters (48 feet, 6.25 inches), Luke Borowicz – 13.37 meters (43 feet, 10.5 inches), Tarin Bingham – 12.75 meters (41 feet, 10 inches – personal record), and Kendall Cauley – 12.19 meters (40 feet).

Dakota State continues their indoor track & field action next Saturday in the Jim Emmerich Invitational.  The Trojans return to Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex for the second time this season in Brookings.  The first events are scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.