January 25, 2025

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Numerous Dakota State (S.D.) men's indoor track & field athletes produced personal records Saturday in the Jim Emmerich Invitational.  The indoor track & field meet was hosted by NCAA Division I South Dakota State at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.

Mohamed Muse was the top NAIA place finisher in the 600-meter run, placing third with a personal record time of 1 minute, 22.31 seconds.

Lukas Bennett was the top NAIA place finisher in the 60-meter dash for the Trojans.  He clocked a time of 6.99 seconds in the prelims and advanced to the finals after placing in the top eight prelims.  Other DSU sprinters in the prelims included Aaron Van Hemert with a time of 7.26 seconds, Brayden Houlette in 7.39 seconds, Payton Anderson in 7.66 seconds, and Jordan Upton in 7.82 seconds.

Bennett finished with a time of 7.00 seconds in the 60-meter dash finals, placing eighth.

Houlette clocked a personal best 23.35 seconds in the 200-meter dash for DSU.  Van Hemert added a time of 23.62 seconds in the race, followed by Javon Newkirk with a personal record 25.27 seconds, and Bryant Paulsen in 25.77 seconds.

Newkirk leaped 5.63 meters (18 feet, 5.75 inches) to place ninth in the long jump.

Braden Peterson recorded a personal best 49.92 seconds to place 12^th in the 400-meter dash.  He was .02 seconds shy of joining the DSU men's indoor track & field 'Top 10' in the 400-meters.  Four other DSU runners earned personal best times in the race – Bennett – 50.13 seconds, Houlette – 51.50 seconds, Van Hemert – 52.13 seconds, and Ben Whitt – 52.14 seconds.  Bergen Irey finished with a time of 56.64 seconds.

Irey clocked a personal record time of 10.52 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles prelims for Dakota State.

Three DSU runners finished under two minutes in the 800-meter run, led by Nolan Slominski with a time of 1 minute, 53.70 seconds to finish 6^th.  His time is the NAIA 'B' provisional qualifying standard time.  Evan Armstrong followed up with a personal record time of 1 minute, 56.89 seconds.  Curtis Johnson finished with a time of 1:59.81.  Grayson Madsen had a career best time of 2:02.21, followed by Franklin Johns in 2:02.24 and Tyler Nicke in 2:02.29.

James McClain threw NAIA B' provisional qualifying mark of 15.89 meters (52 feet, 1.75 inches) in the shot put, where he finished fourth for Dakota State.  Lukus Mentele added 15.41 meters (50 feet, 6.75 inches) to place sixth.  Trenton Moran tossed 13.93 meters (45 feet, 8.5 inches), followed by Joshua Shaffer with 11.94 meters mark (39 feet, 2.25 inches), Robert Begalka – 11.80 meters (38 feet, 8.75 inches), Brock Tuttle – 11.09 meters (36 feet, 4.75 inches), and Caden Gortmaker with a personal record toss of 10.10 meters (33 feet, 1.75 inches).

Kacey Cauley was eighth in the weight throw after throwing 15.93 meters (52 feet, 3.25 inches) for DSU.  Luke Borowicz tossed 14.25 meters (46 feet, 8.75 inches), Jack Hemmen with 14.08 meters (46 feet, 2.5 inches), and Tarin Bingham with a personal record 13.76 meters (45 feet, 1.75 inches).

Logan Recoy led the Trojans with a personal best time of 4 minutes, 33.79 seconds in the 1-mile run.  Yohannes Kassa added a time of 4:41.30 seconds, followed by Holden Jelen with a personal best 4:41.66, and Lucas Harr in career best time of 5:03.80.  Kaiden Akey clocked a time of 5:34.33, followed by Hunter Dimick in 5:57.65.

David Brock registered a time of 2 minutes, 47.21 seconds in the 1000-meters.

Caleb Sayler led DSU with a time of 8:58.25 in the 3000-meter run.  The remaining DSU runners in the race posted their personal record times with Lane Henrichs in 8:59.50, Blake Schmiedt in 9:02.62, Joshua Tucker in 9:11.26, and Jonah Thiele in 9:26.84.

Samuel Olson and Mikal Bennett cleared the height of 3.95 meters (12 feet, 11.5 inches) in the pole vault for Dakota State.

The day concluded with the 4 x 400-meter relay, where three DSU relay teams competed.  Slominski, Johns, Armstrong, and Witt teamed up for a sixth-place finish in 3:24.29.  Nicke, Muse, Johnson finished with a time of 3:34.30.  Recoy, Jelen, Harr, and Kassa clocked a time of 3:41.07.

Dakota State returns to action Friday for the two-day South Dakota State D2/NAIA Open.  The first day of the events will start at 3 p.m.  The second day of the indoor track & field meet at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex will kick off at 9:30 a.m. in Brookings.