Yankton, S.D. - USD senior Ramsey Fitzsimmons set a new school record with a 10:48.28 in the steeplechase to help the Coyote women maintain their second-place standing after the second day of the 2010 Great West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday at Williams Field. Utah Valley's 134 points leads USD (129) on the women's side, while the Coyotes sit third with 44.5 points on the men's side behind Utah Valley (81.5) and Houston Baptist (76).

Fitzsimmons (Yankton, S.D.) finished second and broke her own record of 11:03.40 ran in 2008 by a wide margin, freshman Carol Miller (Mead, Neb.) placed fourth in 11:31 and freshman Kelsey Robish (Huron, S.D.) was seventh with a 43-second personal best of 12:01, but the field events were where USD brought home big team points during the day.

The Coyotes pulled in 25 points in the pole vault with four in the top six. Junior Haley Peterson (Norfolk, Neb.) won at 12-2, while freshman Betsey Whisonant (Cody, Wyo.) earned second in 11-5 3/4. Fellow freshman Jessica Christian (Richland, Wash.) placed fifth and sophomore Natalie Newman (Overland Park, Kan.) was sixth.

USD's trio of throwers earned 19 points in the shot put. Freshman Christena Georgas (Rapid City, S.D.) won with a personal-best throw of 43-9 1/4, while senior Danielle Dornbusch (Papillion, Neb.) and sophomore Darci Youngstrom (McCook Lake, S.D.) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at 40-7 and 40-3 1/4.

The Coyote women brought home the same point total in the long jump with a first, second and eighth. Sophomore Ashlea Johnson (Yankton, S.D.) took the title with a leap of 18-3 1/4, while junior Amber Hegge (Crofton, Neb.) finished runner up for a second straight year. Sophomore Christina Roberts (Omaha, Neb.) posted a 17-7 for eight.

The USD throwers also scored nine points in the discus with a fourth-place showing from Dornbusch at 130-11 and fifth from freshman Kate Wellensiek (Cook, Neb.) in 128-4.

After winning the pentathlon indoor, junior Crystal Schiernbeck (Ida Grove, Iowa) defended her title in the multi-events by winning the heptathlon on Friday with a new meet record of 4,539 points. She led by 39 points through the first day but opened her lead on the second day with a strong performance in the long jump. Her mark of 18-3 won the event and gave her 717 points. She followed with a throw of 110-6 for second place and 547 more points, before cruising home in the 800 meters with a 2:45.

A multitude of Coyote runners advance to Saturday's finals with impressive performances in today's prelims. In the 400-meter hurdles, freshman Alexa Duling (Gregory, S.D.) won her heat and posted the top time of 1:01, while junior Haley Juhnke (Vivian, S.D.) was seventh in 1:05. The duo, along with Schiernbeck, also advanced to the final of the 100-meter hurdles.

Sophomore Emma Erickson (Gayville, S.D.) had the second fastest times in the 400- and 800-meter prelims, as she cruised to a 56.02 and 2:14, respectively. Duling qualified fifth in the 400 meters in 56.98.

Senior Jenessa Filler (Crooks, S.D.) posted a 24.80 to win her heat and post the third fastest time in the 200 meter dash, while freshman Gabriel Williams (Sioux City, Iowa) snuck in with a 25.43. Williams was third fastest in the 100-meter dash in 12.16, and Filler was sixth in 12.27.

On the men's side, USD brought home 14 points in the long jump with three in the top six. Sophomore Chad Pinkelman (Norfolk, Neb.) placed third in 22-7 1/4, sophomore Dustin Nowotny (Rapid City, S.D.) was fourth in 22-1 and sophomore Cody Linder (Plattsmouth, Neb.) earned sixth at 21-9. Pinkelman and Nowotny also helped collect 13 points in the high jump. Pinkelman tied for third at 6-4 3/4, while senior Beau Hoodjer (Lincoln, Neb.) made the same height but placed fifth with more misses. Nowotny was sixth at 6-2 3/4.

Sophomores Tyler Maxwell (Tekamah, Neb.) and Tanner Willard (Belle Fourche, S.D.) claimed eight points by finishing fourth and sixth in the decathlon. Maxwell posted 5,358 points in his first attempt at the event, while Willard earned 4,641. In other final events during the day, junior Kyle Wheeler (Omaha, Neb.) finished fourth in the discus with a toss of 152-3 and senior Sean Fitzsimmons (Yankton, S.D.) was fifth in the steeplechase in 9:51.

Senior Dominic Artis (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) led the way for USD in prelim events. He posted the fastest time in the 200 meters in 21.43 and was third in the 100 meters in 10.92. Freshman Matt Kerswill (Schofield, Wisc.) was fourth fastest in the 200 at 22.14 and notched a 10.81 for second in the 100. Freshman Brando Kovash (Harrisburg, S.D.) advanced to the final with an 11.09 in the 100 for fifth.

USD advanced two runners into the final of the 800 meters with freshman Casey Shade (Hartford, S.D.) running a 1:54 for fourth and senior Rob Gregoire (Wakonda, S.D.) posting a personal-best 1:55 for eighth. Sophomore Bill Lane (Sioux City, Iowa) was third fastest in the 400-meter hurdles in 54.20, while senior Corey Gross (Brandon, S.D.) was fifth in 56.68. Freshman Jordan Smith (Yankton, S.D.) notched the third time in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.67. Senior Tyler Williamson (Estelline, S.D.) was seventh fastest in the 400 meters with a 49.69.

The field events resume tomorrow at 9 a.m. (CT) with the men's javelin, while running events start at 12:20 p.m. with the 4x100-meter relay.