May 8, 2026
VERMILLION, S.D. and SEWARD, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) closed their women's outdoor track & field regular-season schedule Friday in a pair of twilight meets. The Trojans collected four events titles, with three titles coming from the NCAA Division I South Dakota Twilight at Lillibridge Complex and another title at the Concordia (Neb.) Twilight at Bulldog Stadium.
USD Twilight
Bella Maxwell improved her personal record 54.17 meters (177 feet, 8 inches) to place third in the hammer throw for the Trojans. Her mark is NAIA B' provisional qualifying mark and currently ranks No. 14 in the NAIA women's hammer throw. Maxwell's mark is the third best mark in the DSU women's outdoor track & field school record.
Lilly Young added 47.33 meters (155 feet, 3 inches) in the hammer throw, followed by
Alivia Bickett with 45.10 meters (147 feet, 11 inches). Alaliyah Bertelsen tossed 37.93 meters (124 feet, 5 inches).
Maxwell won the shot-put title after tossing 13.79 meters (45 feet, 3 inches).
Casey Olson registered 12.14 meters toss (39 feet, 10 inches) and
Hadley Hollenbeck with 11.50 meters mark (37 feet, 8.75 inches).
Amelie Steins captured the long jump title after leaping 5.66 meters (18 feet, 7 inches). She also tied for fourth in the high jump after clearing 1.56 meters (5 feet, 1.25 inches).
Olson made her NAIA 'B' provisional qualifying mark after winning the javelin title. She threw her career best 42.10 meters (138 feet, 1 inch) and qualified for the nationals in javelin for the second consecutive year for the Trojans. Dayncia Witzel added 38.12 meters (125 feet) to place third. Bridget Bartlin recorded 30.86 meters throw (101 feet, 3 inches).
Hollenbeck threw 34.54 meters (113 feet, 4 inches) in the discus, followed by
Emily Dvorak with 30.23 meters (99 feet, 2 inches).
Olson clocked a time of 15.89 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles.
Taneaja John added 16.05 seconds.
Averie Marshall recorded a time of 12.82 seconds in the 100-meter dash, followed by Bartling with a time of 13.10 seconds. Marshall clocked a time of 27.44 seconds in the 200-meter dash, while Bartling finished the race in 28.07 seconds.
Brooke Beaucaire posted her personal record of 11 minutes, 44.34 seconds to finish third in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Her time is the second fastest in the DSU women's 3000-meter steeplechase school history.
Kierra Miller added a time of 12:23.73.
DSU closed the USD Twilight meet with
Madelyn Sylva with a time of 5:11.82 in the 1500-meter run.
Concordia (Neb.) Twilight
Dakota State produced the NAIA 'A' automatic qualifying time in the 4 x 800-meter relay. The team of
Anna Schneider,
Valerija Curikova,
Lindsey Roth, and
Caitlin Dyer produced both school record and stadium record time of 9 minutes, 11.29 seconds. They won the title by edging College of Saint Mary (Neb.) with a time of 9:12.36.
DSU's 4 x 800-meter relay team improved their season best and school record time from earlier this season. Prior to this season, the 4 x 800-meter relay school record was held by Stephanie Uher, Kayla Sveen, Victoria Sopko, and Stephanie Warnke with a time of 9:35.51 in 2013.
Dyer was third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 15.51 seconds.
Up Next
The NAIA national office will release their official national qualifying list next week for the upcoming 2026 NAIA Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Championship. The three-day national meet will be held at Karl Straus Track in Asheville, N.C., on May 20-22.
