Tigers groom for GPAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend

Mitchell, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men's and women's track and field teams are set to compete at the Great Plains Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Concordia University on Friday and Saturday from Bulldog Stadium in Seward, Neb.

 The Dakota Wesleyan men's 4 x 800-meter team enters this weekend's field ranked fifth on the conference leaderboards. Engineered by Wyatt Baldauf (Seneca, Ill.), Devin Rihanek (Plankinton, S.D.), Hunter Shanks (Bennington, Neb.) and Justin Sorensen (Vermillion, S.D.), the relay team holds a season-best of 8:14.24.

 In the throwing ring, Caden Milmine (Buffalo, Wyo.) is seeded in a tie for third in the shot-put event with a mark of 53-3.75 feet (16.25m). The DWU throws specialists has secured both the NAIA National 'A' and 'B' Standard and is ranked in a tie for 14^th nationally. Fellow Dakota Wesleyan thrower Ryan Kienzle (Gillette, Wyo.) is ranked 11^th in the same event in the GPAC with a season-best toss of 49-9.25 feet (13.95m).

 Also garnering a national ranking is Lydia Gerber (Canton, S.D.), who is currently ranked 17^th nationally and has already hit the NAIA National 'B' Standard. Gerber is projected as the top seed in this weekend's flight in the triple jump after a season-best of 37-11.5 feet (11.57m). Just outside the top-10, Ashtyn Evans (Gillette, Wyo.) is ranked 12^th with a mark of 33-4.5 feet (10.17m).

 Morgan Taft (Norris, S.D.) also sits just outside scoring consideration with an 11^th-place ranking in the hammer toss. Taft tallied a mark of 152-10 feet (46.59m) earlier this year at the USD Early Bird Invitational.

 Follow along with all of this weekend's action with live results, live coverage and a schedule of events:

 Live Results https://results.blacksquirreltiming.com/meets/7491

 Live Coverage https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cun/

 Schedule of Events https://www.cune.edu/resources/docs/Athletics/t&f21/GPACOutdoorSchedule21.pdf