WICHITA, Kan.—South Dakota fourth-year junior Merga Gemeda clocked the fifth-fastest 5,000-meter time in program history to highlight 15 top-10 finishes on Friday night at the K.T. Woodman Classic held at Cessna Stadium.
 
Gemeda crossed the finish line in 14 minutes, 24.73 seconds, for third place overall and second among collegians. The time was three seconds faster than his personal best.
 
Third-year sophomore Charlie Babcock posted the 10th-fastest 10,000-meter time in program history to cap off the evening. He clocked 30:57.34 for fifth place in the field and fourth among collegians.
 
Fifth-year senior Alli Wroblewski won Friday's section of the 800 meters in 2:17.78 with third-year sophomore Madison Jochum finishing just behind in a season-best 2:17.80. Fifth-year senior multi-event athlete Holly Gerberding finished eighth in 2:23.15.
 
In the lone field event contested Friday evening, fourth-year junior Josephine Starner launched the javelin 142-0 (43.28m) for second place.
 
Sophomore Dylan Blake took third in the Friday section of the 800 meters by clocking 1:55.79. Third-year sophomore Brendan Scott took 10th in 1:59.19.
 
A trio of Coyotes finished in the top-10 of the women's 1,500 meters led by a personal best performance from third-year junior Ella Byers, crossing the finish line in 4:34.23. Sophomore Abrielle Jirele took fifth in 4:38.45 and third-year sophomore Helen Gould was seventh in 4:40.23.
 
Redshirt-freshman Lizzy Kramer clocked 11:41.25 for sixth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Sophomore Renee Thompson was eighth in 11:50.86.
 
On the men's side, fifth-year junior Kallo Arno took ninth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:42.07.
 
Completing her first-ever 10,000-meters, third-year sophomore Lily Provenzano took ninth place in 37:56.76.
 
South Dakota returns to action for the final day at the K.T. Woodman Classic at 11 a.m. Saturday.