SDSU Classic
 
BROOKINGS, S.D.—Senior Megan Billington broke South Dakota's 5,000-meter record en route to winning the event at the SDSU Classic on Saturday inside the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.
 
Billington crossed the finish line in 16 minutes, 30.19 seconds, to break alumna Amber Eichkorn's record of 16:31.95 from 2015. The time is a 16-second personal best for Billington. She battled down the stretch to defeat SDSU's Rachel King by three seconds. Coyote teammates Madeline Huglen and Laura Nelson finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the field. Huglen clocked a personal best 17:04.81.
 
South Dakota also won the women's 4x400-meter relay to cap off the meet Saturday evening. The quartet of sophomore Danielle Thompson, junior Ellie Wilson, sophomore Macy Heinz and senior Mallory Fine clocked 3:52.54.
 
Heinz dropped another two seconds off her collegiate best time for 800 meters earlier on Saturday with a runner-up finish in 2:10.81. She clocked the third-fastest time in USD program history. Fine placed fourth in the field in 2:11.73 for her own personal best. The time ties for sixth on USD's all-time indoor charts. Freshman Haley Arens took 10th in 2:14.69.
 
Sophomore newcomer Aleksi Roesler finished runner-up in the 400 meters with a time of 48.11. The time ranks fifth in USD's record books.
 
On the women's side, Thompson placed fifth in the 400 meters with a clocking of 57.36 seconds.
 
Senior Ethan Fenchel finished runner-up in the men's weight throw with a toss of 67-8. He holds the school record of 68-3 ¼ while no other USD athlete has thrown past 65 feet in history.
 
Senior Lara Boman took fourth in the women's weight with a distance of 68-1 ¾. She also holds USD's school record with a mark of 70-5 and similarly, no other USD athlete has thrown past 60 feet. Sophomore Callie Henrich finished 10th in the field.
 
Henrich added a seventh-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 46-4. Senior Mary Wester took ninth.
 
Senior Ben Hammer took seventh in the men's shot put with a throw of 57-1.
 
Returning from winning last night's 3,000 meters, senior Eldon Warner took 10th in the men's mile on Saturday with a time of 4:12.75.
 
South Dakota returns to action at the Nebraska Tune-Up on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska. The meet serves as the final regular season competition headed into the Summit League Championships and the NCAA Championships.
 
Tyson Invitational
 
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—South Dakota senior Kimmy Peterson vaulted an indoor best 13 feet, 8 ½ inches, to win the women's pole vault at the Tyson Invitational on Saturday at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track.
 
Peterson's height moves her to 24th in the nation this season. She's also ranked fifth on USD's all-time indoor charts.
 
Competing in the women's invitational pole vault, junior Helen Falda tied for sixth place with a jump of 13-6 ½. The invitational field included top collegians and professionals, including USD alumna Emily Grove. Grove won the invitational event with a jump of 14-10 ¼.
 
Junior Zack Anderson took eighth in the men's invitational high jump with a leap of 6-11 ½. It marks the first time this season Anderson has not eclipsed the seven-foot barrier.
 
Anderson's teammates competed in the non-invitational section of the men's high jump. Freshman Jack Durst took fifth in 6-9 ½, while sophomore Travis Larson and senior Deshonn Brown tied for sixth.