NDSU Women T&F 4x400M Relay Advance to Eugene

Bison women have six entries in NCAA Championships/

AUSTIN, Texas (NDSU Athletics) – The North Dakota State women’s track & field team ran the second-fastest 4x400m relay in school history on Saturday night to earn a berth at the NCAA Championships.

With the 4x400m relay advancing, the Bison women will have six entries at the NCAA Championships – a new all-time high in the Division I era.

Last year, the Bison missed a spot in the 4×400 at the national meet by only one place and 0.31 seconds, finishing 13th at the West Prelims. On Saturday night, they left no doubt.

NDSU’s squad of Morgan Milbrath, Alexis Woods, Amy Andrushko and Rose Jackson entered the meet seeded 13th, but registered the eighth-fastest time Saturday at 3:33.38. The top 12 teams advance to the national semifinals in Eugene, Ore.

This was the seventh consecutive year that the NDSU women raced in the 4x400m relay at the NCAA West Prelims. The Bison previously advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the event in 2014, when they placed 14th at the national meet.

In the shot put on Saturday evening, sophomore Shelby Gunnells threw 49-07.75 (15.13m) for 26th place, senior Jordyn Thornton registered a mark of 49-04.50 (15.05m) for 29th, and redshirt freshman Bailey Retzlaff posted a toss of 48-11.00 (14.91m) to finish 31st.

Both Thornton and Retzlaff out-performed their pre-meet rankings, with Thornton seeded 37th and Retzlaff seeded 40th entering the meet.

NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifiers – NDSU Women

• Katelyn Weimerskirch, hammer & discus
• Alyssa Olin, javelin
• Rose Jackson, long jump
• Taylor Janssen, 3000m steeplechase
• 4x400m relay