VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota alumnus Chirs Nilsen vaulted a world-leading height of 19-8 ½ (6.01m) to highlight the first night of the USD Alumni Meet on Friday night on Mildred J. Hillenbrand Memorial Track.
 
Nilsen's height broke his own DakotaDome record from 2021. Friday marked his fourth career jump past the elusive six-meter barrier. He owns a career best of 6.05 meters (19-10 ¼). A 2020 graduate of South Dakota, Nilsen was an Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo. Junior Eerik Haamer was the top collegiate finisher with a new Summit-leading height of 17-3 ¾ (5.28m). Senior Marshall Faurot was third in the field with a height of 16-10 (5.13m).
 
It was a battle between a 60-meter specialist and a 400-meter specialist in the women's 200 meters. Fourth-year junior Sara Reifenrath took the lead in the final two meters, winning in 24.01 seconds. Classmate Erin Kinney finished runner-up in 24.05 seconds. Fellow classmate Jacy Pulse was third in 24.77 seconds.
 
Junior Ken-Mark Minkovski won the men's 200 meters in 21.87 seconds. Junior Thomas Nikkel clocked the second-fastest time from the previous heat, posting a mark of 22.25 seconds. Senior Ardell Inlay was third in 22.26 seconds.
 
Members of the Summit League championship women's cross country team posted fast 1,000-meter times on Friday night. Freshman Madison Brouwer took the tape in 2:55.70, three seconds off the school record in the event. Fifth-year senior Ella Byers was just behind in 2:55.97 for second and fourth-year junior Abrielle Jirele took third in 2:58.71.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Mason Sindelar and junior Luke Olson were jarring down the home stretch of the men's 1,000-meter run. It was Sindelar that took the tape in 2:28.66 with Olson following in 2:28.98.
 
Fourth-year sophomore McKenna Herrmann made it a sweep in the distance races, winning the women's 3,000 meters in 10:27.76. Freshman Moriah Knapp closed strong to take second in 10:33.53 and fifth-year senior Haley Miller, who had an early lead, took third in 10:35.08.
 
Competing unattached, senior Lydia Knapp finished first in the women's weight throw with a distance of 63-11 ¾ (19.50m). Junior Delaney Smith, also competing unattached, was second in 61-2 (18.64m), while senior Meredith Clark and junior Kenzie Campbell tied for third with a mark of 60-1 ¾ (18.33m).
Coyote alumna Kamberlyn Lamer, who is in her second season as an assistant coach with USF's track and field program, won the women's pentathlon competition on Friday night with a tally of 3,260 points.
 
Junior Wyatt Pruce finished runner-up in the men's weight throw in 56-6 ¼ (17.23m) and sophomore Quincy Warren took third in 53-1 (16.18m).
 
Juniors Renee Brummels and Lauren Meyer took second and third, respectively, in the women's triple jump. Brummels leaped 37-8 ½ (11.49m) and Meyer posted a mark of 37-7 ¼ (11.46m).
 
The USD Alumni Meet returns to action Saturday at 11 a.m. inside the DakotaDome.