Michael Pecha

The South Dakota State University men’s and women’s track and field teams showed promise in an early season meet at the Mankato Open this past weekend, coming away with a total of 13 event victories.

“This was our first event for the new year, and I was very happy with the efforts the athletes put forward,” head track and field coach Paul Danger said.

Jamie Keck continued where she left off last track season by dominating the triple jump. Keck leaped 38 feet 4 and three quarters inches to take first. Her jump was a NCAA qualifying mark. She placed third in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet 7 inches.

Josey Meuer won the 60 meter dash in 8 seconds flat. Meuer also won the 200 meter dash in 25.93 seconds. Taunja Disher was close behind in third place at 8.04 seconds.

Erin Woolley was victorious in the mile run with a time of 5:15. She

came back with a third place finish in the 800 meter run in 2:23.

Heather Hall ran 59.84 seconds in the 400 meter dash to take first.

Anne Jorgenson ran 1:01 and finished in third.

Sheena Dauer dominated the 3000 meter run with a final time of 10:15.

Fellow Jackrabbits Krystie Ratzlaff (10:54), Megan Poppens (10:57), and Erin Foss (11:24) took second through fourth places.

Cori Vining won the 60 meter hurdles in 8.98 seconds. Jennifer Stovall (9.02) and Erin Zempel (9.45) took second and third, respectively.

Vining also won the long jump with a leap of 17 feet 11 inches.

Erin Delay took second in the shot put with a throw of 40 feet 10 and one quarter inches.

On the men’s side, Greg Darbyshire placed in the top two in two events, first running to victory in the mile with a time of 4:16, and then finishing second in the 300 meter run in 8:30.

Brad Lowery won the 3000 in 8:25.

Scott Roby finished second in the mile in 4:27.

Matt Pearson won the 1000 meter run in 2:29.

David Hegland won the 60 meter hurdles in 8.22 seconds and then finished third in the 200 meter dash in 23.11.

Ben Johnson finished behind Hegland in the 60 hurdles with a time 8.44 seconds.

Rounding out the top finishers for the Jackrabbits was Ben Fast who won the weight throw with a toss of 51 feet 9 and three quarters inches.

The Jacks run next weekend with a slew of Division-I teams at the University of Minnesota Invite in Minneapolis. Danger said that the meet will be a good indicator of the current fitness level of the Jackrabbit track and field athletes.