MANKATO, Minn. - The University of Sioux Falls Track and Field won three events and had five athletes reach provisional qualifying marks at the Minnesota State Alumni Open on Saturday. The Cougars earned a total of 29 top-eight finishes in their first competition of 2015.
Improving their already-qualifying marks, Kimberly Peterson and Courtney Crandall finished first and second, respectively, in the women's pole vault and now are tied for the top qualifying marks in Division II this season. Both vaulters registered best clearances of 12-feet-5.5 inches (3.80 meters), but Peterson earned the victory decided on misses. Sophie Harano also reached a qualifying clearance with her third-place, 11-foot-11.75-inch (3.65m) mark. Megan Muller (11-5.75/3.50m) and Katlyn Sawtelle (10-11.75/3.35m) placed sixth and seventh, respectively.
Jagger Gran led a five-Cougar contingent in the men's pole vault with a second-place finish, first among attached competitors, and a provisional qualifying mark. Gran cleared 15-feet, 7 inches (4.75m) to finish as the runner-up. Chase Jensen, Jacob Zebedee, and Brandon Rogers all cleared 15-1 (4.60m) and finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, on misses. Tyler Nordlund took eighth in the event, with a best clearance of 12-7.5 (3.85m).
The final qualifier for the Cougars at the MSU Alumni Open was Marissa Whipple, whose women' weight throw performance netted her first place and a spot among the NCAA Division II qualifiers. Whipple's winning mark was measured at 53 feet-9 inches (16.38m). Teammate Hannah Steele took second with a best mark of 51 feet-3 inches (15.62m) and Haley Hinseth (44-5.5/13.55m) and Kaylee McMacken (43-9.75/13.35m) placed sixth and seventh in the women's weight throw.
Steele, Hinseth, and Whipple all doubled up on top-eight finishes with their women's shot put outings on Saturday. Steele finished as runner-up with a 39-foot, 6-inch (12.04m) toss, Hinseth took third at 38-9.5 (11.82m), and Whipple placed fourth with a best mark of 38-7 (11.76m). Amanda Poppen and Cassidy Wright continued the run of USF throwers on the podium with Poppen (37-9.25/11.57m) and Wright (37-5.75/11.42m) finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
Nearly taking home two titles, Jordon Bents won the men's weight throw and finished as the runner-up in the men's shot put. The senior from Worthington, Minn. took the weight throw title with a 55-ffot, 10.25-inch (17.02m) heave. In the shot put, his second-place mark was measured at 51 feet-1.5 inches (15.58m).
Trey Ferguson earned the third No. 1 finish for USF, winning the men's 600-meter run. Ferguson clocked a 1:22.68 in his three laps around the Myers Fieldhouse track to collect his first title of the season. Cory Eberle also placed in the men's 600, taking eighth in a time of 1:29.44. In the women's 600-meter run, Savannah Dolezal placed third with a final time of 1:39.13.
Earning her second top-six finish of the day, Sawtelle placed fifth in the women's 60-meter hurdles. After clocking a 8.99-second run in the prelims to secure a spot in the finals, Sawtelle clocked a 9.14-second time and placed fifth.
Continuing a strong performance in the field events, USF collected four top-eight finishes in the long and triple jumps. Jada Carr registered the top finish with a fifth-place performance in the women's triple jump, finishing with a best mark of 34 feet-11.25 inches (10.65m). Kara Koth was right behind her in seventh at 33-11.25 (10.34m). Koth also took seventh in the women's long jump, recording a 17-foot, 2-inch (5.23m) leap for her second top-eight finish of the day.
In the men's triple jump, Austin Schaffer brings home a sixth-place finish. Schaffer's best mark came in at 42 feet-9.5 inches (13.04m) and was good enough for sixth place.
The Cougars return to action next weekend at the Dordt Open on Saturday, Jan. 17 in Sioux Center, Iowa.