VERMILLION, S.D. (May 4, 2002) - Senior Sandy Pelkofer (Rapid City, S.D.) of The University of South Dakota women's track & field team continues to reach new heights in the pole vault event at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays today, vaulting 12'6 to break her own school mark (12'2.75) and clear her previous Dakota Relay record of 11'6 by 12 inches, which Pelkofer set in 2000. The 12'6 mark ties for the second-best outdoor mark in the nation this season. South Dakota results are available from this afternoon's events.

South Dakota finished with the top three placings in the women's pole vault event with freshman vaulter Marci Miller (Rapid City, S.D.) second with a 11'0 mark, and sophomore Jamie Davis (Colton, S.D.) third with a 10'6 vault.

Junior Jill Kurtenbach (Dimock, S.D.) was second in the 400m hurdles, finishing in 1:05.69, and was also fifth in the pole vault (10'6). Freshman Kassidi Myrick (Winner, S.D.) was second in the javelin throw (106'5). Sophomore Emily Fox (Sioux Falls, S.D.) was fourth in the 200m dash, clocking in at :25.42, while sophomore Laura Schmitz (Jefferson, S.D.) was fourth in the 400m hurdles (1:06.27). In the women's long jump, freshman Lindsey Berding (Spirit Lake, Iowa) was fourth with a mark of 17'2.5, as sophomore Brianne Vette (Spearfish, S.D.) finished fifth (17'1.75). For the men's squad, sophomore Vinnie Olson (Pierre, S.D.) had two top-five finishes, with a third place in the shot put (47'11.25) and fifth place in the discus throw (155'4). In the 5,000m run, sophomore David Johansson (Ghent, Minn.) was fourth in 16:06.11. Freshman Chad Erling (Bellevue, Neb.) was fifth in the 400m intermediate hurdles (:56.14).