Track & field prepare for GPAC Championships

MITCHELL, S.D. – After finishing the indoor track & field season with four All-Americans, the Dakota Wesleyan University men's and women's track & field teams have carried that momentum into the outdoor season in hopes of capping off the season with continued success at the Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships today and tomorrow in Yankton, S.D.

 Following an individual national championship and being named the 2019 Women's Field National Athlete of the Year and the GPAC Championships Female Athlete of the Meet, Kamberlyn Lamer (Hartford, S.D.) has remained one of the top female athletes in the NAIA.

 At the Dordt College Outdoor Invitational, Lamer set two personal records with a first-place finish in the long jump and a third-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles. She tallied a leap of 19-4 feet in the long jump and recorded a time of 14.51 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. 

 Lamer continued to set records at the Red Raider Open on April 19 and 20. She set another personal record, this time in the Heptathlon with a point total of 5,001, securing another first-place finish.

 Another All-American on the women's side who is hoping to make noise this weekend is senior thrower Mikaela Stofferahn (Dell Rapids, S.D.). At the indoor national championships, she tallied a personal best throw of 45-7.25 in the shot put, good for eighth place. She hit an automatic qualifying mark for the outdoor national championships in the discus at the Dordt College Outdoor Invitational with a toss of 151-2. Stofferahn hit her second 'A' Standard of the season at the Red Raider Open following a throw of 44-11.75 in the shot put.

 On the men's side, Tyson Jenkins (Clark, S.D.) and Jared Rabenberg (Britton, S.D.) look to have impressive outings tomorrow. Jenkins kicked off the outdoor season with an automatic qualifying mark in the hammer throw with a mark of 175-9 at the Hastings Bronco Invite. He also hit an 'A' Standard in the shot put with a toss of 53-6.25 in the same meet. Jenkins hit personal bests in the discus with a throw of 148-1 at the Red Raider Open, and in the hammer throw following at toss of 182-0 at the Mount Marty Invite.

 Rabenberg has hit two provisional marks during the outdoor season coming at the Dordt College Outdoor Invitational and the Drake Relays a week ago. Both marks came in the high jump with his best finish coming at the Drake Relays with a leap of 6-8.

 Matthew Campbell (Gregory, S.D.) has improved throughout the season to record the best season of his young career. At the Mount Marty Invite, Campbell collected an automatic qualifying mark in the shot put with a toss of 54-1.75. He also recorded provisional qualifying marks in the hammer throw and the discus this spring. 

 Other DWU track & field members to watch this weekend include Samantha Schuyler (Winner, S.D.), Lydia Gerber (Canton, S.D.), Lia Guigui (Rapid City, S.D.), Mckenna Rodgers (Saint Michael, Minn.), Alyssa Weidler (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Mason Small (Huron, S.D.), Caden Milmine (Buffalo, Wyo.), Nate Rupprecht (Bennington, Neb.), Devin Rihanek (Plankinton, S.D.) and Austin Hughes (Box Elder, S.D.).