Six Tigers win events at DWU Invitational

MITCHELL, S.D. – Hosting their second meet of the season, six members of the Dakota Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams won their events, while 11 athletes joined or moved up in the program top-10 list Friday and Saturday from the DWU/Avera Sports and Wellness Complex in Mitchell.

 Leading the men's side was Caden Milmine (Buffalo, Wyo.) who won the shot put and moved to fourth on the program top-10 list with a throw of 52-0.5 feet (15.86m). Milmine is now top-10 in the country in the event.

 Following in second in the shot put was Ryan Kienzle (Gillette, Wyo.). His toss of 46-10.25 feet (14.28m) notched him a second-place finish in the event. Kienzle also tallied second place in the weight throw following a throw of 48-5.5 feet (14.77m). His mark moved him to ninth all-time.

 Christopher Zanotto (Blair, Neb.) finished with another top-place finish as he notched a throw of 50-6 feet (15.39m) in the weight throw. Zanotto now is sixth in program history in the event.

 Coming away with the third and final top placement for the men was Cale Strong (Norfolk, Neb.) in the triple jump. His leap of 42-1.25 feet (12.83m) secured his first-place finish.

 On the track, Hunter Shanks (Bennington, Neb.) came away with a second-place finish in the 1,000-meter run. His time of 2:41 minutes moved him to seventh on the program top-10 list. Also competing in the event was Justin Sorensen (Vermillion, S.D.) as he finished in fifth place. Sorensen also came away with a fourth-place finish in the 600-meter run after a time of 1:27.56 minutes, good for ninth on the program all-time list.

 Austin Moen (Webster, S.D.) came away in third place in the triple jump after a leap of 39-8.5 feet (12.10m). Benjamin Heyd (LaMoure, N.D.) moved into eighth all-time in the 200-meter dash after a time of 23.37 seconds.

 On the women's side, Morgan Taft (Norris, S.D.) notched another top placement in the weight throw after her best mark of 51-2.75 feet (15.61m). She currently ranks eighth in the conference in the event.

 Also competing in the weight throw was Jocelyn Krouse (Montrose, S.D.) as she came away with a sixth-place finish, moving into 10^th all-time after a throw of 40-11.75 feet (12.49m). In the shot put, freshman Lila Gronseth (Sargeant, Minn.) took fifth after a mark of 36-11 feet (11.25m).

 Lydia Gerber (Canton, S.D.) had a busy day as she came away with the top placement in the triple jump. She tallied a leap of 37-9.5 feet (11.52m) and sits at sixth place in the NAIA. She also competed in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. She finished the 60-meter dash in 8.06 seconds, good for second place. She crossed the finish line in the 200-meter dash in 28.4 seconds, taking fifth place.

 Tessa Kilber (Ipswich, S.D.) tallied the final first-place finish of the day in the 1,000-meter run. Her time of 3:15.26 minutes not only won the event but moved her into fifth on the program top-10 list. Kilber also took seventh in the 200-meter dash.

 In the long jump, Avany Long (Oacoma, S.D.) finished in second place after her jump of 16-10.75 feet (5.15m). Her mark put her sixth all-time in program history. She also took second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.75 seconds, moving her into fourth all-time.

 Ashtyn Evans (Gillette, Wyo.) came away with a sixth-place finish in the 200-meter dash, while Morgan Oedekoven (Pierre, S.D.) took sixth in the 3,000-meter run. Her time of 12:07.27 minutes moved her into seventh all-time.

 Both Tiger teams will compete at the Mount Marty Open next weekend in Yankton, S.D.