VERMILLION, S.D. – After being on the road for the last couple of weekends, the Coyote track and field program took to the Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion for the first day of the USD Tune Up.
 
The highlight of the action Friday night was in the shot put rings, where the Battle of the 'Bridge was held. The Battle of the 'Bridge elite shot put competition didn't disappoint. North Dakota's Kenna Curry and Ethan Thomas swept the titles. South Dakota's Tristan Gray threw 53-8 ½ (16.37m) for fourth place in the men's competition and Lydia Knapp threw 44-6 ¼ (13.57m), a season's best, for seventh.
 
In other field events, Danii Anglin and Maddie Olson cleared 5-6 (1.68m) in the women's high jump to place third and fourth respectively. In the men's high jump, Landon Olson was the top competitor competing attached Friday night, clearing 6-10 ¼ (2.09m) to place third overall.
 
The second ranked women's pole vault crew in the country took to the runway at the Lillibridge Track Complex Friday, and they didn't disappoint. Marleen Mülla won the event with a clearance of 14-6 ¾ (4.44m). Gen Hirata took third with a height of 13-7 (4.14m). Eliza Aitken (13-1) and Tayler Evans (12-1 ¼) rounded out the top five. Emily Grove, a former Coyote herself, also cleared 14-6 ¾ Friday.
 
In the women's discus throw, Delaney Smith recorded a throw of 142-7 (43.47m) to place eighth.
 
South Dakota also had a strong day on the track. Mariah Fenske and Taylor Byerly placed the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase with times of 11:08.06 and 11:33.22 respectively to place first and second. Riley Ruhaak took fourth in the men's 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 9:48.31.
 
Coyote personal bests highlighted action in both 400-meter hurdle races. On the men's side, Jaden Damiano's 53.94 and Mikael Grace's 54.04 were both personal bests to take first and second. In the women's race that followed, Averi Schmeichel ran a personal best 57.98, breaking 58 seconds for the first time in her career and moves her to 18^th in the NCAA West Region and 39^th in Division I.
 
The PR's kept on rolling in for the Coyotes as Melanie Pankow (17:46.51) and Isabella Bricker (18:34.06) ran personal bests in the 5,000-meters. In the men's race, Isaac Ochoa competed unto the final few meters, ultimately taking second with a time of 15:03.91, just .24 seconds behind the winner.
 
Mason Sindelar ran 3:44.21 in the men's 1,500-meters to beat out teammate Caleb Rivera's 3:44.35 to win the race. Sindelar's time is the third fastest time in school history. Natnael Kifle also ran a personal best in the 1,500-meters, running 3:52.24 to place fourth. Abrielle Jirele placed fifth in 4:32.51 in the women's 1,500-meters.
 
Action will continue Saturday morning with the women's 10,000-meters at 9 a.m. The remaining field events will begin at 11 a.m. and the remaining track events at noon.