NDSU Throwers Dominate Day One of Summit League T&F Championships

The Bison men and women lead the field after one day

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – The North Dakota State women’s track & field team got off to a strong start on the first day of the Summit League Outdoor Championships, winning two of the four events contested on Thursday. NDSU leads the women’s team race with 74 points, and South Dakota is second with 63.

Bison senior Katelyn Weimerskirch captured her second straight Summit League title in the hammer throw, setting a meet record at 206-5 (62.92m). It was Weimerskirch’s eighth league championship – three in the indoor weight throw, three in the discus, and two in the hammer. NDSU junior Alyssa Olin won her first conference title in the javelin, posting a mark of 162-4 (49.48m).

The Bison women scored 61 points across the two throwing events held on Thursday – 36 in the hammer throw and 25 in the javelin.

NDSU swept the top six places in the hammer with Weimerskirch, sophomore Shelby Gunnells, freshman Amy Herrington, sophomore Maddy Nilles, junior Hannah Frost and senior Jordyn Thornton. Gunnells was the conference runner-up for the second straight year, throwing 190-11 (58.19m).

Behind Olin in the javelin, NDSU had three more placewinners for a 1-3-4-5 finish. Nilles posted a huge throw to take third place at 150-7 (45.89m), moving up to fourth in NDSU history and 71st in the NCAA this season. Junior Kayla Hochhalter took fourth, and senior Laura Grube was fifth.

Junior Lauren Gietzen finished as the runner-up in the pole vault, clearing a career-best 13-05.75 (4.11m) to rank 43rd in the NCAA this year. Anna Benke placed sixth at 12-10.00 (3.91m), and Klara Lyon took eighth at 12-04.00 (3.76m).

Sophomore Emma Kusch Dahle placed eighth in the 10,000m run for one additional team point for the Bison.

NDSU is poised to score big with the conclusion of the heptathlon on Day 2, as the Bison hold the top two spots with Rose Jackson (3,204 points) and Amanda Levin (3,156) at the end of Day 1. Macy Denzer stands in sixth at 2,737 points.

The Summit League Outdoor Championships will continue over the next two days at Schlanser Track on the NDSU campus.