Complete Results
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University’s men’s and women’s indoor track teams got the 2008-09 season underway Wednesday night, turning in some fine early-season performances – particularly in the field events – at the NSU Preseason Open. The NSU men won six events, including four of six events on the track, while the women claimed two victories in the field events.
NSU’s Amanda Madden provided the biggest highlight of the night as she broke her own school record in the weight throw with a toss of 17.56 meters (57 feet, 7 ½ inches). That mark is well above the NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 16.00 meters and just shy of the automatic standard of 18.00 meters.
Redshirt freshman Melodi Boke, competing for the first time in a Northern uniform, also provisionally qualified in the women’s shot put with a mark of 13.20 meters (43’ 7”).
The Wolves also claimed a slew of second and third places, including a third place finish by Tanya Vassar in the pole vault. Vassar cleared 2.90 meters (9’ 6 ¼”) in her first ever vaulting competition.
On the men’s side, Calvin McGruder was a double winner, claiming victory in both the high jump and the 55-meter dash. McGruder cleared 1.93 meters (6’ 4”) in the high jump before edging a University of Mary competitor by .01 of a second in the 55-meters, finishing in a time of 6.75 seconds.
Trevor Steen and the men’s 4x400-meter relay squad were also victorious on the track, as Steen won easily in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.92 seconds, while the relay team finished in 3:37.51.
Ross Pfeifle added another win in the field events for the Wolves as he cleared 4.45 meters (14’ 7 ¼”) in the pole vault.
The Wolves break for the holidays but will be back in action on Jan. 17 at the North Dakota State Bison Open in Fargo, N.D.