February 16, 2025

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) finished second in the 2025 North Star Athletic Association Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship Sunday at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on the campus of NCAA Division I South Dakota State.  It was the second straight year and third time in the past four conference meets that the Trojans finished second behind defending champion Dickinson State (N.D.).

The Trojans established a new team conference meet record of 185 points, three more points from the previous team record of 182 points in the 2024 conference meet.  Dickinson State captured their seventh straight conference title after scoring 279.5 points.

The scoring was basis on the top eight place finishers with 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 point system.

The highlight of the day came in the weight throw with a new school record and the NAIA 'B' provisional qualifying mark.  Kiana Mounga tossed 16.66 meters (54 feet, 8 inches) on her third attempt, earning a third-place finish in the event.  She broke the previous record holder by Oliviyah Thornton and Traia Hubbard, both with 16.64 meters mark (54 feet, 7.25 inches).

Bella Maxwell followed up with a fourth place in the weight throw for DSU, throwing 16.02 meters (52 feet, 6.75 inches).  Gabriella Peitzmeier was fifth with 15.28 meters toss (50 feet, 1.75 inches).  Lilly Young was 12^th with 13.74 meters toss (45 feet, 1 inch) and Rebecca Hazlett was 16^th with 12.81 meters toss (42 feet, .5 inches).

Maxwell was fourth in the shot put, throwing a personal record 13.16 meters (43 feet, 2.25 inches) for Dakota State.  Her toss is the fifth best in the DSU women's indoor shot-put history.  Alivia Bickett added 10.82 meters (35 feet, 6 inches) toss, followed by Young with 9.97 meters toss (32 feet, 8.5 inches).

The running events kicked off with the 5000-meter run, led by Brooke Beaucaire with a runner-up finish for the Trojans.  She clocked a time of 19 minutes, .71 seconds in the race.

Amelie Steins placed fourth in the 60-meter dash prelims with a personal best time of 8.05 seconds, followed by Molli Thornton fifth with 8.11 seconds.  Bridget Bartling was seventh in 8.21 seconds and Bethany Lawson eighth in 8.23 seconds.  Those four runners advanced to the conference's 60-meter dash finals. 

Steins also placed in the 60-meter dash finals in 8.10 seconds for DSU.  Bartling followed up with a personal record of 8.18 seconds to finish sixth, followed by Lawson seventh with 8.26 seconds, and M. Thornton eighth in 8.31 seconds.  Averie Marshall was ninth in 8.32 seconds.

Dakota State captured the 4 x 800-meter relay title for the second consecutive year, and their fourth time in the past six conference meets.  The team members of Anna Schneider, Saddie Palmquist, Presli White, and Kierra Miller clocked a time of 10 minutes, 22.75 seconds to claim the title.

Steins earned a runner-up honor in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.24 seconds for the Trojans.  Casey Olson added a time of 10.22 seconds, while Alyssa Koffler recorded a time of 10.99 seconds. 

DSU earned their second title, led by Lindsey Roth with a time of 5 minutes, 27.56 seconds in the 1-mile run.  Miller added a time of 5:32.06 to place third.  Beaucaire was sixth in 5:47.70.

RayLee Wallis registered the third fastest 400-meter dash indoor school record of 58.61 seconds, earning a runner-up for Dakota State.  M. Thornton was fourth in 1:00.22, followed by Lawson eighth with a time of 1:05.99.  Shakiera Gronenthal finished with a time of 1:09.00, followed by Koffler with a time of 1:12.02.

DSU had four runners in the top seven spots of the 800-meter run.  Schneider earned the runner-up honor in 2 minutes, 21.57 seconds.  White was fifth in 2:27.80, followed by Roth sixth in 2:30.01, and Palmquist seventh in 2:34.51.

Wallis also collected a runner-up honor in the 200-meter dash, clocking a personal record time of 25.99 seconds.  Her time is the fourth fast time in school history.  M. Thornton was third in 26.72 seconds, followed by Steins fifth in 26.97 seconds.  Marshall was sixth with a personal record time of 27.78 seconds, and Bartling seventh with a personal record time of 27.86 seconds.  Lawson also recorded a time of 28.43 seconds.

Beaucaire collected her second runner-up on the same day, clocking a time of 11:03.34 in the 3000-meter run for Dakota State.  Roth was fifth with a time of 11 minutes, 11.80 seconds, followed by White sixth in 1:12.55.  Miller finished the race with a time of 11 minutes, 30.09 seconds.

The final running event for the day was the 4 x 400-meter relay, where the Trojans finished second.  The members of Bartling, Steins, Wallis, and Schneider finished with a time of 4 minutes, 18.34 seconds.

Steins leaped 4.95 meters (16 feet, 3 inches) to finish fourth in the long jump for DSU.  Olson followed up with a fifth-place finish with 4.94 meters mark (16 feet, 2.5 inches).  Olson was seventh in the high jump after clearing 1.45 meters (4 feet, 9 inches).

Ella Carstensen collected a third-place finish in the triple jump in her first collegiate meet.  She leaped 10.63 meters (34 feet, 10.5 inches), which is the seventh best triple mark in DSU women's indoor track & field history.  M. Thornton was sixth with 10.31 meters mark (33 feet, 10 inches). 

The national office will announce the official list for the 2025 NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field National Championships later this week.  The three-day national meet will be held in Gainesville, Fla., at Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe.

Dakota State women's qualifying list included the 4 x 800-meter relay of Schneider, White, Miller, and Roth, as well as Mounga in the weight throw.