December 13, 2025

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota State University Trojan women's indoor track & field closed their 2025 calendar year by winning 11 event titles Saturday at the Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) Snow Tiger Invitational.  The meet was held at DWU/Avera Sports and Wellness Center.

Dakota State won the team titles with 85 points, defeating the host-team Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) who scored 24 points in the meet.

Oliviyah Thornton highlighted the Trojans with another NAIA 'B' provisional qualifying mark in the shot put.  She tossed a career beset 13.64 meters (44 feet, 9 inches) to capture the title.  Her shot put is the fourth best toss in DSU women's indoor track & field school history.

Casey Olson earned a runner up finish in the shot put with 11.87 meters mark (38 feet, 11.5 inches) for the Trojans.  Alivia Bickett was fourth with 11.08 meters (36 feet, 4.25 inches), followed by Hadley Hollenbeck fifth with a personal best 10.43 meters (34 feet, 2.75 inches).  Amelie Steins recorded 10.11 meters toss (33 feet, 2 inches) and Emily Dvorak 9.41 meters (30 feet, 10.5 inches – personal record).

Thornton added the weight throw title for DSU, throwing the NAIA 'B' provisional mark of 16.79 meters (55 feet, 1 inch).  Kiana Mounga earned second place with 15.11 meters (49 feet, 7 inches).  Lilly Young threw 13.72 meters (45 feet, .25 inches).  Bickett posted a personal best 13.15 meters (43 feet, 1.75 inches), followed by Aaliyah Bertelsen with a personal record 13.12 meters toss (43 feet, .5 inches). 

McKenna McIlravy registered 10.81 meters (35 feet, 5.75 inches).  Dvorak threw 10.62 meters (34 feet, 10.25 inches) and Hollenbeck with 10.26 meters toss (33 feet, 8 inches). 

Steins also highlighted the Trojans with another school record.  After running 7.88 seconds in the 60-meter dash prelims, she improved to her career best time of 7.83 seconds to win the title.  Steins broke the previous record holder by Josie Wolf with 7.84 seconds in 2019.

Molli Thornton was also second in both the 60-meter dash prelims (8.04 seconds) and the final (8.09 seconds).  Bethany Lawson was third in prelims (8.11 seconds) and final (8.19 seconds).  Averie Marshall followed up with a fourth-place finish in the final with a time of 8.25 seconds (8.16 seconds in the prelims).  Bridget Bartling was fifth in the final with a time of 8.32 seconds, improving her time from 8.34 seconds in the prelims.

Natalie Stoks placed sixth in the 60-meter dash final in 8.36 seconds, followed by Daynica Witzel seventh in 8.56 seconds for Dakota State.

Steins added another title, winning the long jump after leaping 5.33 meters (17 feet, 6 inches) for the Trojans.  M. Thornton recorded 5.05 meters (16 feet, 7 inches) to place third, followed by Olson fourth with 4.96 meters 916 feet, 3.25 inches).  Stoks registered 4.68 meters (15 feet, 4.25 inches).

Witzel was second in the triple jump, leaping 9.70 meters (31 feet, 10 inches). 

M. Thorton won the 200-meter dash title with a time of 27.20 seconds.  Lawson added a third-place finish in 28.09 seconds.

The Trojans added the 400-meter dash title by Anna Schnieder, clocking a personal best time of 1 minute, 1.36 seconds.  Valerija Cruikova won the 800-meter run title after recording a career best time of 2:31.47.

Lindsey Roth captured the 1000-meter run title with a time of 3:16.41 for DSU.  Curikova added a time of 3:19.68 to place second, followed by Kierra Miller third in 3:23.67.

Taneaja John produced a personal record time of 9.51 seconds to win the 60-meter hurdles title.  Alyssa Koffler was third with a time of 10.64 seconds.

Schneider, Miller, Presli White, and Roth clocked a time of 9 minutes, 47.81 seconds to win the 4 x 800-meter relay title for Dakota State.  Their time is the third fastest in the DSU women's indoor track & field school history.

Olson and Koffler each cleared the high jump of 1.45 meters (4 feet, 9 inches) for DSU.

The meet closed with the 4 x 400-meter relay by Stoks, Bartling, Marshall, and John.  The Trojans won the event title with a time of 4:27.57.

Dakota State heads to their Christmas break and returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 10 in the Mount Marty (S.D.) Opener.  Brooke Beaucaire will be running in her third NAIA Marathon Classic Sunday morning at 8 a.m., taking place at BMW Dallas Marathon in Dallas, Texas.