April 5, 2025
VERMILLION, S.D. – The Dakota State (S.D.) men's outdoor track & field team collected five 'Top 8' place finishers on the second day of the NCAA Division I meet, the University of South Dakota Early Bird Invitational. The meet, which featured athletes from all collegiate levels from NAA Division I to NAIA, was held at Lillibridge Track Complex on the campus of USD.
Lukas Bennett highlighted the Trojans with a runner-up honor in the 200-meter dash. He produced a personal record time of 21.46 seconds, tying for the seventh fastest time in the DSU men's outdoor 200-meters history wit Riley Greenhoff. Bennett was just .25 seconds shy of meeting the NAIA 'B' provisional qualifying time.
Other DSU results in the 200-meter dash included
Tayshaun Agard in 23.72 seconds,
Javon Newkirk in 24.51 seconds, and
Bryant Paulsen in 25.95 seconds.
Bennett placed sixth in the 100-meter dash after clocking a time of 10.85 seconds. Agard added a time of 11.61 seconds, followed by Newkirk with a time of 11.75 seconds.
Nolan Slominski led the Trojans with a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter dash after registering a time of 50.91 seconds.
Aaron Van Hemert was 13
th in 51.99 seconds, followed by
Mohamed Muse 14
th in 52.11 seconds and
Ben Witt 15
th with a season best time of 52.22 seconds. Other DSU results in the 400-meters included
Brayden Houlette – 53.38 seconds,
Payton Anderson – 53.45 seconds,
Noah Haynes – 57.45 seconds, and
Bergen Irey – 58.28 seconds.
Van Hemert finished with a time of 15.79 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles.
Brock Krueger leaped to a personal record 12.54 meters (41 feet, 1.75 inches) to finish fourth in the triple jump for Dakota State.
Three Trojan runners placed in the Top 10 in the 800-meter run, led by
Evan Armstrong with a sixth-place finish in 1 minute, 59 seconds.
Logan Recoy followed up with a personal best 2:00.06 for a ninth-place finish, followed by
Lane Henrichs with a personal record time of 2:00.34 for a 10
th place finish.
Yohannes Kassa was 11
th in 2:00.71. Other DSU results in the 800-meters included
Blake Schmiedt – 2:03.80,
Holden Jelen – 2:04.38, Graysen Madsen – 2:06.24 – season best,
Kaiden Akey – 2:17.82 – season best,
Lucas Harr – 2:23.22, and
Hunter Dimick – 2:24.23 – personal record.
Samuel Olson posted a season best 3.85 meters (12 feet, 7.5 inches) clearance in the pole vault for DSU.
Xander Sheehan threw 35.53 meters (116 feet, 7 inches) to place tenth in the javelin.
Luke Borowicz tossed 41.53 meters (136 feet, 3 inches) to place 11
th in the discus for the Trojans.
Brock Tuttle added 36.48 meters (119 feet, 8 inches). Other DSU discus results included:
Houston Lunde – 34.68 meters – 113 feet, 9 inches;
Jack Hemmen – 33.94 meters – 111 feet, 4 inches;
Kendall Cauley – 33.68 meters – 110 feet, 6 inches;
Robert Begalka – 32.87 meters – 107 feet, 10 inches – personal record;
Caden Gortmaker – 31.03 meters – 101 feet, 9 inches; and Irey – 21.92 meters – 71 feet, 11 inches.
Dakota State is making their first trip to Mankato, Minn., next Saturday. The Trojans compete in the NCAA Division II meet, the Minnesota State-Mankato Open (DSU returns to Mankato for the second time at the end of April).
