Results
AMES, Iowa - The South Dakota track and field teams had several strong performances during the opening day of the Iowa State Classic Friday night in Ames, Iowa. Solid performances by the distance medley relay team, pole vaulter
Kevin Sarehkhani and throwers
Kyle McKelvey and
Cody Snyder paced the Coyote men, while senior
Haley Juhnke and
Alexa Duling had good showings to lead the Coyote women.
For the men, the Coyote distance medley relay team placed third with a time of 9:53.35 -- just three seconds out of first and away from the school record. That consisted of sophomore Travis Brenner (Yankton, S.D.), freshman Tyler Sternhagen (Yankton, S.D.), junior Casey Shade (Hartford, S.D.) and sophomore Jeff Mettler (Eureka, S.D.).
Sophomore Kevin Sarenhkhani (Walnut, Calif.) captured the unseeded pole vault with an effort of 15-4 1/2. McKelvey (Beresford, S.D.) was second in the shot put at 55-2, followed by sophomore Cody Snyder (Lake Andes, S.D.) was third with a personal-best of 54-1 1/4.
Sophomore Adam Mikkelsen (Gregory, S.D.) was seventh in the non-seeded high jump at 6-6 1/4 while senior Chad Pinkelman (Norfolk, Neb.) was 10th at 6-4 1/4. Brenner finished ninth in the non-seeded one-mile at 4:15.18.
Junior Benson Langat (Kapsabet, Kenya) was 11th in the non-seeded 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:38.41 -- eight seconds faster than his previous personal best. Three Coyote runners attained personal bests in the 5,000 meters as well: freshman Brant Haase (Lemmon, S.D.) at 14:58.70, junior Ethan Marquardt (Albert Lea, Minn.) at 15:06.81 and Langat at 15:18.37.
For the women, Juhnke (Vivian, S.D.) qualified for the finals in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.83, setting a personal best. Duling was seventh in the 200-meter dash at 24.83, a season-best.
Senior Kenna Wolter (Santa Maria, Calif.) was fifth in the unseeded long jump at 17-10 1/4, with senior Ashlea Johnson (Yankton, S.D.) taking sixth at 17-9 3/4. Freshman Analisa Huschle (Bagley, Minn.) was seventh in the high jump at 5-2 1/2.
The Coyotes' distance medley relay was ninth at 12:14.69. That consisted of sophomore Ashleigh Giese (Marshall, Wis.), freshman Amber Ewers (Columbus, Neb.), freshman Kristie Mullen (Omaha, Neb.) and junior Carol Miller (Mead, Neb.). South Dakota also had five runners earn personal-bests in the non-seeded 5,000 meters -- freshman Josee Jansen (Sioux City, Iowa), junior Jessica Brandli (Rapid City, S.D.), sophomore Britni Waller (Lincoln, Neb.), sophomore Kristin Steffen (Crofton, Neb.) and junior Ali Gress (Papillion, Neb). Giese also had a personal best in the mile (5:06.09).
Day 2 of the event is set for Saturday.
