Trojan Track Faces Multiple Meets
Trent Lutmer
The Dakota State men’s and women’s track and field teams have been busy this last week as half  participated in numerous meets and races.
On April 23rd, Sophomore Michael Hoffman traveled down to Yankton, SD and ran the RiverRat Half-Marathon. Hoffman placed second behind the reigning NAIA All-American marathoner, Thomas Madut. Hoffman ran a time of one hour, 16 minutes and 17 seconds, which is a provisional qualifying national mark. Hoffman will be running the marathon on May 28 in Marion, Ind.
Last Monday on April 25, some participated in the SDSU Twilight Meet in Brookings, SD.
Jerad Megenhausn placed 10th overall in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23.79. He also placed 6th in the 400 meter dash with a time of 52.85.
Thomas Kjerengtroen and Jerad Schlobohm placed 13th and 14th in the 800 meter run with times 2:02.41 and 2:03.11 respectively.
Andy Coy came away with a victory in the 1500 meter run as he ran 3:52.63. With that time, it automatically qualifies Coy for the national meet.
Devon Berkness ran away with the title in the 10,000 meter run as he won the race by over a minute with a time of 31:22.58. Berkness also automatically qualifies him for the national meet.
Over this weekend they competed in two different meets in which some traveled to Des Moines, IA to race in the Drake Relays, while others traveled to Sioux Falls, SD at the Lillibridge Track and Field Complex to compete at the very windy USF Invitational.
Anthony Drealan ran the men’s 10,000-meters at Drake Stadium on Thursday night. Drealan took ninth with a new DSU school record and made an automatic qualifying time. He broke the DSU school record that was held by Robert Blase in 1998. The previous old school record time was 31 minutes and 12.64 seconds.
In Sioux Falls, Ryan Gimbel continued to improve his personal and DSU school record in the men’s hammer throw. He threw a measurement of 116 feet and seven inches for an 11th place finish. He was 14th in shot put (39′ 7.25″) and 14th in discus (106′ 11″).
Jeff Rieger recorded a fifth-place finish in the men’s discus throw. He threw a discus measurement of 120 feet. He placed ninth in the shot put (42 feet and two inches).
In the men’s 5000-meter run, Kace Groff placed second with a time of 17 minutes and 23.84 seconds.
Stacey Berg was sixth in the men’s 200-meter dash. He clocked a time of 22.90 seconds.
Craig Bailey leaped a high jump measurement of five feet and 11 inches for a seventh-place finish in the men’s high jump.
Craig Bailey leaped a high jump measurement of five feet and 11 inches for a seventh-place finish in the men’s high jump.
On the women’s side, the Trojan women’s 4 x 400-meter relay team recorded a first-place finish with a time of 4:20.67. The women’s 4 x 100-meter relay finished fourth in 51.71 seconds.
Claire Beck finished sixth in the women’s 400-meter dash in 1:03.89. Stephanie Uher was seventh (1:04.49).
Amber Krogstad placed sixth in the women’s long jump with a measurement of 17 feet and seven inches.
Next week, the track and field team will compete in the last regular season meet as they travel to Sioux Falls, SD for the Howard Wood Relays at Howard Wood Field. Events will start on Friday and finish on Saturday.
Dakota State will compete in their final regular season meet next weekend in Sioux Falls. The Trojans travel to the Howard Wood Field to take in the annual Howard Wood Relays on Friday (May 6) and Saturday (May 7).
