Taft breaks her own school record, Tigers compete at USD Early Bird

VERMILLION, S.D.– Just two days after setting the school record in the hammer throw, Morgan Taft (Norris, S.D.) broke her own school record as the Dakota Wesleyan University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the USD Early Bird on Saturday in Vermillion, S.D.

Taft breaks her own school record, Tigers compete at USD Early Bird
April 3, 2021

VERMILLION, S.D.– Just two days after setting the school record in the hammer throw, Morgan Taft (Norris, S.D.) broke her own school record as the Dakota Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams competed at the USD Early Bird on Saturday in Vermillion, S.D.

 On Thursday at the Dordt Invite, Taft broke the school record in the hammer throw after a throw of 150-11 feet (46.00m). On Saturday, the senior thrower improved on her mark as she took 13th in the event with a toss of 152-10 feet (46.59m).

 She now sits sixth in the conference in the hammer throw and is 22nd in the NAIA.

 Lydia Gerber (Canton, S.D.) took sixth in the triple jump after her best leap of 36-9 feet (11.20m). Her mark in the event moves her to third all-time in program history. Gerber currently leads the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the event following her performance at the USD Early Bird.

 In the men's shot put, senior Caden Milmine (Buffalo, Wyo.) took seventh. After winning the event at the Dordt Invite, Milmine finished the USD Early Bird with a throw of 52-4.75 feet (15.97m). He ranks ninth in the country in the event and is second in the GPAC.

 Ryan Kienzle (Gillette, Wyo.) competed in the hammer throw and took 13th in the event after a throw of 145-9 feet (44.42m). His toss moved him to seventh all-time in program history in the event.

 In the men's javelin, DJ Rediger (Lincoln, Neb.) finished in eighth place after a best toss of 112 feet (34.14m).

 Darby Deffenbaugh (Kimball, S.D.) and Jocelyn Krouse (Montrose, S.D.) each competed in the hammer throw and moved up on the program all-time list. Deffenbaugh finished 22nd in the event after a toss of 135-3 feet (41.22m), moving her to third all-time. Krouse took 29th in the event after a throw of 119-11 feet (36.56m), moving her to 10th on the all-time list.

 The DWU track and field teams compete next at the USD Invite on Friday and Saturday, while the distance runners will travel to the Northwestern Invite on Friday in Orange City, Iowa.