TIGERS BATTLE WINDY ELEMENTS AT 2022 DEWEY DONAT CLASSIC, GUIGUI CLEARS NAIA STANDARD IN HIGH JUMP

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Just two weeks out from the 2022 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) outdoor track and field championships, the Dakota Wesleyan University track and field program battled windy conditions at the Dewey Donat Classic held at Al Sahli Track in Aberdeen, S.D. Dakota Wesleyan senior Lia Guigui underlined the completion for the Tigers with a runner-up and NAIA 'B' standard performance in the high jump while several other DWU performers captured top-5 finishes.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Tigers opened the action on Friday afternoon beginning in the throwing ring with senior throws specialist Chris Zanotto who punched his ticket to the finals of the men's hammer throw. Zanotto notched a mark of 47.51m on his fourth attempt of the day, and the Blair, Neb., native finished in fifth. In the women's competition, duo Morgan Taft and Katlyn Briggs also reached the finals and registered third-place (44.62m) and fifth-place (43.26m) performances.

Nate Rupprecht rounded out Friday's action and wrapped up the decathlon on Saturday seventh in the final standings with 4,959 points. The Bennington, Neb. senior relied upon his strength and speed specifically and clocked runner-up finishes in both the shot put (11.14m) and 400 meter (53.04 seconds) to place in the top-10.

On the track, Adaya Plastow continued her momentum in the hurdles by placing fourth with a collegiate best and split of 15.67 in the 100m hurdles while Avany Long crossed the finish line in sixth. Plastow and Long also helped anchor the Dakota Wesleyan women's 4x100 meter relay team along with Guigui and Ashtyn Evans as the squad sprinted into the homestretch and finished in second.

Guigui, who qualified for the NAIA national indoor track and field championships in the high jump, soared to the national standard in the event on her second attempt at 1.65m and followed with three looks at 1.70m. The jumps specialist from Rapid City, S.D. finished in second place while Ryley Johansen also solidified runner-up status in the men's field clearing a collegiate best of 1.95m. Abbie Larson meanwhile leaped to a fourth-place performance in the triple jump with a distance of 9.38m.

Five Tigers took their respective lanes in the men's 1500 meter, and Wyatt Baldauf led the charge with a time of 4:36.2 good enough for fourth. Justin Sorensen and Hunter Shanks followed closely in fifth and sixth while Johansen ended DWU's work on the track in the 200 meter dash with a split of 22.65.

Briggs and the Dakota Wesleyan throwers concluded the meet placing four finishers in the top-10 of the women's discus highlighted by Briggs and Darby Deffenbaugh going back-to-back in the final standings. Briggs clocked a throw of 40.19m while Deffenbaugh ended the competition with a best of 39.48m. 

Caden Milmine continued his strong outdoor campaign taking second in the shot put while Lila Gronseth and Abbigail Magnuson dialed top-5 performances in the women's section.

UP NEXT

Dakota Wesleyan concludes the outdoor regular season with both the prestigious Drake Relays, set for Thursday through Saturday from Des Moines, Iowa, and the Ron Masanz Classic hosted by Minnesota State University-Moorhead on Saturday from Ron Masanz Track in Moorhead, Minn.

Full DWU Women's Results
100 Meter
15th – Lia Guigui – 13.07

100 Meter High Hurdles
4th – Adaya Plastow – 15.67
6th – Avany Long – 16.51

200 Meter

12th - Taylor Pourier – 28.79

1500 Meter
9th – Annika Vermeulen – 6:01.76

11th – Morgan Oedekoven – 6:17.55  

4x100 Meter Relay
2nd – Ashtyn Evans, Avany Long, Adaya Plastow, Lia Guigui – 55.25

High Jump  
2nd – Lia Guigui – 1.65m (* NAIA B standard)
9th – Abby Ferris – 1.45m

Long Jump   
13th – Avany Long – 4.80m

15th – Lia Guigui – 4.74m

Triple Jump 
4th – Abbie Larson – 9.38m

Hammer Throw     
3rd – Morgan Taft – 44.62m

5th – Katlyn Briggs – 43.26m

10th – Lila Gronseth – 39.21m

Discus Throw  
3rd – Katlyn Briggs – 40.19m

4th – Darby Deffenbaugh – 39.48m

6th – Lila Gronseth – 38.13m

10th – Morgan Taft – 32.36m

Shot Put  
3rd – Lila Gronseth – 12.41m  
4th – Abby Magnuson – 12.23m
6th – Morgan Taft – 11.04m   

 Full DWU Men's Results
Decathlon  
7th – Nate Rupprecht – 4,959 points

200 Meter
5th – Ryley Johansen – 22.65

 1500 Meter

4th – Wyatt Baldauf – 4:36.2

5th – Justin Sorensen – 4:38.27

6th – Hunter Shanks – 4:39.71

7th – Caleb Sayler – 4:44.34

12th – Layne Lewis– 6:23.85   

High Jump  
2nd – Ryley Johansen – 1.95m  

Pole Vault 
7th – Cale Strong – 3.98m

Hammer Throw   
5th – Chris Zanotto – 47.51m

Shot Put  
2nd – Caden Milmine – 14.13m

Javelin     
5th – DJ Rediger – 31.20m