January 10, 2026

YANKTON, S.D. – The Dakota State University Trojan women's indoor track & field return to action, competing in their first 2026 indoor track & field meet in the Mount Marty (S.D.) Opener at Ruth Donohoe Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won four events titles in the meet, highlighted by a pair of throwing titles with NAIA 'B' Provisional qualifying marks by Oliviyah Thornton.

Thornton, which already qualified for the NAIA national meet in both throwing events, won the weight throw title after tossing 17.15 meters (56 feet, 3.25 inches).  Bella Maxwell added a season best 15.08 meters toss (49 feet, 5.75 inches) to place fifth, followed by Kiana Mounga with a seventh-place finish after throwing 13.76 meters (45 feet, 1.75 inches).  Alivia Bickett produced a personal record 13.51 meters (44 feet, 4 inches) to place eighth, Lilly Young ninth with 13.11 meters toss (43 feet, .25 inches).

Other DSU weight throw results included Aaliyah Bertelsen – 12.43 meters (40 feet, 9.5 inches), McKenna McIlravy – season best 11.42 meters (37 feet, 5.75 inches), Emily Dvorak – 10.95 meters (35 feet, 11.25 inches), and Hadley Hollenbeck – 9.77 meters (32 feet, .75 inches).

Thornton added another throwing title in the shot put, throwing 13.87 meters (45 feet, 6.25 inches) for DSU.  Maxwell followed up with a fourth-place finish with 12.10 meters toss (39 feet, 8.5 inches), and Casey Olson fifth with 11.58 meters (38 feet).  Bickett was seventh with 10.95 meters mark (35 feet, 11.25 inches), and Hollenbeck ninth with 10.94 meters (35 feet, 10.75 inches).

Dvorak hit a personal record 9.69 meters (31 feet, 6 inches) in the shot put.  Amelie Steins threw 9.08 meters (29 feet, 9.5 inches).

RayLee Wallis was the only runner in the field that hit under 1-minute mark in the 400-meter dash, winning the title in 59.72 seconds for the Trojans.

Brooke Beaucaire earned a runner-up honor in the 3000-meter run with a time of 11:02.99.  Madelyn Sylva followed up with a fourth-place finish in 11:14.93.

Casey Olson clocked a time of 9.80 seconds to place sixth in the 60-meter hurdles for DSU.  She improved her time to 9.67 seconds in the finals, finishing fourth.  Taneaja John registered a time of 9.92 seconds in the prelims.

Molli Thornton led the Trojans in the 60-meter dash prelims with a time of 8.05 seconds, placing fifth.  Bethany Lawson added an eighth-place finish in 8.24 seconds.  Bridget Bartling was ninth in 8.34 seconds, followed by Averie Marshall 10^th in 8.35 seconds.  Natalie Stoks recorded a time of 8.42 seconds, followed by Dayncia Witzel in 8.64 seconds.

M. Thornton finished 8.06 seconds to finish fifth in the 60-meter dash finals, while Lawson was eighth in 8.26 seconds.

Witzel leaped 9.84 meters (32 feet, 3.5 inches) in the triple jump for Dakota State.  M. Thornton recorded 4.76 meters (15 feet, 7.5 inches) in the long jump, while Stoks recorded 4.75 meters (15 feet, 7 inches).

Lawson led the Trojans in the 200-meter dash with a season-best time of 27.73 seconds.  Stoks added 28.07 seconds, followed by Marshall and Bartling with 28.87 seconds each.  John finished in 29.45 seconds and Alyssa Koffler in 30.69 seconds.

Anna Schneider earned a third-place finish in the 800-meter run, clocking a time of 2 minutes, 22.86 seconds.  Lindsey Roth was seventh in 2:27.09.

Kierra Miller ran a time of 3:26.83 to finish second in the 1000-meter run.  She added an eighth-place finish in the 1-mile run with a time of 5 minutes, 45.14 seconds.

Dakota State closed the meet by winning their fourth event title, capturing the 4 x 400-meter relay.  The relay members of Stoks, M. Thornton, Schneider, and Wallis finished with a time of 4 minutes, 2.70 seconds.

The Trojans return to Yankton next weekend, competing in the two-day Mount Marty (S.D.) Invitational and Multi-Events.  The two-day indoor track & field meet starts Friday with heptathlon, pentathlon, and distance medley relay events.  The full slate of events will be held next Saturday.