April 15, 2025

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) have two athletes placing in the top two after the first day of the 2025 North Star Athletic Association Men's Outdoor Multi-Events Championships Tuesday afternoon.  The conference multi-events championships are being hosted by Valley City State (N.D.) at Shelly Ellig Field at Lokken Field.

Chantz Minear and Tysen Grinde finished in the top two in three different decathlon events for the Trojans.

All four DSU athletes kicked off the day in the 100-meter dash with personal record times.  Minear was the fastest in the field with a time of 11.19 seconds for 819 points, followed by Grinde with 11.46 seconds for 761 points.  Caden Gortmaker registered 637 points after clocking a time of 12.07 seconds in the race.  Bergen Irey made his 100-meter dash debut with a time of 12.27 seconds for 599 points.

Minear leaped 6.46 meters (21 feet, 2.5 inches) for 688 points in the long jump for Dakota State.  Grinde followed up with 6.24 meters (20 feet, 5.75 inches) leap for 639 points.  Gortmaker posted a mark of 5.98 meters (19 feet, 7.5 inches) for 582 points.  Irey improved his personal record long jump mark of 5.36 meters (17 feet, 7 inches) and collected 453 points.

The third event of the decathlon was the shot put, led by Minear with 11.52 meters (37 feet, 9.5 inches) for 577 points.  Grinde tossed 10.86 meters (35 feet, 7.75 inches) for 537 points, while Gortmaker posted a personal record 10.47 meters (34 feet, 4.25 inches) for 514 points.  Irey recorded 8.36 meters (27 feet, 5.25 inches) for 388 points.

Grinde was the top mark in the high jump, clearing a mark of 1.98 meters (6 feet, 6 inches) for 785 points for DSU.  Minear was the second-best high jump in the field, clearing 1.89 points (6 feet, 2.25 inches) for 705 points.  Irey registered a personal best 1.80 meters (5 feet, 10.75 inches) for the third-best high jump, collecting 627 points.  Gortmaker earned 602 points after 1.77 meters (5 feet, 9.75 inches) clearance.

The final decathlon on the first day was the 400-meter dash.  The Trojans had the top two fastest times, led by Minear in 50.79 seconds for 779 points and Grinde in 52.71 seconds for 694 points.  Irey finished with a time of 57.41 points for 506 points, followed by Gortmaker with 58.43 seconds for 468 points.

Minear currently leads the NSAA decathlon standings with 3,568 points for Dakota State.  Grinde is second with 3,416 points.  Garin Opdahl of Dickinson State (N.D.) is third with 3,229 points, followed by his teammate Carl Askins fourth with 2,95 points.  Gortmaker is fifth in the standings with 2,803 points, followed by Irey sixth with 2,573 points.  DiSU's Cole Skabo is seventh with 2,450 points.

The NSAA decathlon continues Wednesday, starting with the 110-meter hurdles at 10 a.m.  They will also compete in the discus, pole vault, javelin, and the grueling 1500-meter run with 30-minutes break in between the completion of each event.