May 3, 2025

VERMILLION, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) produced another NAIA national qualifying mark Saturday on the final regular season men's outdoor track & field meet, the NCAA Division I University of South Dakota Tune Up.  The two-day meet was held at Lillibridge Track & Field Complex on the campus of USD, featuring NCAA Division I (Summit League schools), Division II, and NAIA's Bellevue (Neb.).

Zachary Haugen threw the NAIA 'B' national qualifying mark in the hammer throw for the Trojans, hitting a personal record of 57.03 meters (187 feet, 1 inch) to finish third in the field.  His mark is the third best in DSU men's hammer throw school history and 10^th farthest in NAIA this season.

Other DSU hammer throw results included Lukus Mentele – 45.94 meters (150 feet, 8 inches), Houston Lunde – 45.71 meters (149 feet, 11 inches – personal record), Tarin Bingham – 45.58 meters (149 feet, 6 inches), Jack Hemmen – 45.09 meters (147 feet, 11 inches), Luke Borowicz – 44.47 meters (145 feet, 10 inches), and Dylan Johansen – 43.58 meters (142 feet, 11 inches – personal record).

Haugen added 42.36 meters mark (138 feet, 11 inches) in discus for Dakota State.  Mentele recorded 39.54 meters toss (129 feet, 8 inches), followed by Brock Tuttle's toss of 38.68 meters (126 feet, 11 inches).  Lunde registered 37.58 meters (123 feet, 3 inches), Borowicz with 37.31 meters (122 feet, 5 inches), Hemmen with 37.03 meters (121 feet, 6 inches), Johansen with 36.55 meters (119 feet, 11 inches), and Tysen Grinde with 33.40 meters (109 feet, 7 inches).

Grinde clocked a time of 15.93 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles for DSU.  Brock Krueger leaped 12.53 meters (41 feet, 1.5 inches) in the triple jump.  Javon Newkirk jumped 5.41 meters (17 feet, 9 inches) in the long jump, while Bergen Irey recorded 5.02 meters jump (16 feet, 5.75 inches).

Nolan Slominski clocked a season best time of 1 minute, 52.06 seconds to place 10^th in the 800-meter run.  Yohannes Kassa added a career best time of 1:57.73, followed by Grayson Madsen with a personal best time of 2:01.09.

Payton Anderson and Willie Hutchins each ran a season best time of 11.50 seconds in the 100-meter dash for Dakota State.  Newkirk clocked a time of 11.86 seconds in the race.

Ben Witt recorded a career best 50.36 seconds in the 400-meter dash for the Trojans.  Franklin Johns added a season best 50.92 seconds, followed by Noah Haynes with a personal best time of 55.11 seconds.

Lukas Bennett led DSU with an eighth-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.87 seconds.  Grinde followed up with 23.30 seconds, Witt in 23.40 seconds, Newkirk in 24.29 seconds, Bryant Paulsen in 25.65 seconds, and Haynes in 25.27 seconds.

DSU concluded the meet with a pair of teams in the 4 x 400-meter relay.  The team of Bennett, Evan Armstrong, Mohamed Muse, and Slominski finished with a time of 3 minutes, 27.53 seconds.  Witt, Anderson, Haynes, and Paulsen finished with a time of 3:49.62.

Dakota State prepares for the final ever North Star Athletic Association Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week in Dickinson, N.D.  The two-day outdoor track & field conference meet is hosted by Dickinson State (N.D.) at Biesiot Activities Center.