FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota track and field teams opened 2023 at the Bison Team Cup on Saturday. In the meet, the Fighting Hawks claimed three event titles and posted five improvements to the UND top-10 list.

Jerzie Finstad shined on the track, winning the 400-meter title in a personal-best time of 56.78, good for the No. 6 time in program history. Less than a half hour later, Finstad took part in the 200 meters and finished as the runner-up in a time of 25.50, which was not only a personal-best, but also improved her No. 10 time on the UND top-10 list in that event.

Allison Lardy also claimed gold at the meet, winning the shot put crown with a PR toss of 47-1 (14.35m). That throw was good for the No. 3 shot put mark in school history. Lardy helped set the tone early in the meet, also taking third in the weight throw with a mark of 55-11 (17.04m).

Austin Wolf was the final Hawk to earn an event title and won the high jump with a height of 6-6 3/4 (2.00m).

Multi-eventer Malene Kollberg placed in three individual events. She was the runner-up in the high jump with a clearance of 5-5 (1.65m). Earlier in the meet, Kollberg took the track for the 60-meter hurdles and took fourth with a PR time of 8.92, good for the No. 6 time in school history. The Drammen, Norway, native finished the day in the 200 meters and placed fifth with a time of 26.26.

Sprinter Tiffanie Magnusson also scored points in three individual events. In the long jump, she was third with a leap of 18-10 3/4 (5.76m). That jump is now tied for the No. 2 long jump mark in program history. Magnusson was also fifth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.21) and tied for eighth in the high jump (5-1, 1.55m).

Kenna Curry was the runner-up in the weight throw with a toss of 57-7 3/4 (17.57m). She was also fifth in the shot put with a mark of 43-7 3/4 (13.30m). Eve Goldstein joined her in both events and was fourth in both the weight throw (53-0 1/4, 16.16m) and shot put (45-0 1/4, 13.72m).

Eucabeth Kivikangas placed seventh in the shot put with a toss of 42-2 (12.85m).

In the pole vault, Kajsa Thrawl took fifth with a clearance of 9-2 1/4 (2.80m).

In the women's long jump, Brooklynn Gould joined Magnusson and took seventh with a distance of 17-7 1/2 (5.37m).

Cruz Megazzini paced the team in the men's long jump and was sixth with a mark of 21-7 3/4 (6.58m). Trenton Hanseder finished eighth in the event with a leap of 20-10 3/4 (6.37m).

Four Hawks placed in the women's high jump, led by Kollberg's runner-up finish. Ashley Conneran was next for UND with a clearance of 5-1 (1.55m) to tie for sixth. Elle Thorson tied Magnusson with a matching mark of 5-1 (1.55m) to tie for eighth.

Maguire Petersen went out at 6-4 3/4 (1.95m) in the men's high jump to finish seventh.

Earlier in the meet on the track, Aleece Durbin was fifth in the 60 meters with a time of 7.97. Carley Johnson was right behind Durbin in and took sixth with a time of 8.14. Less than 10 minutes prior to that, Durbin ran in the 60-meter hurdles and was sixth with a time of 9.22.

Jesse Middendorf paced the men in the 400 meters with a time of 50.02 to take fourth. Jory Vasek also competed in the event and was sixth in 50.53.

Later in the meet, Vasek ran in the 200 meters and was sixth in 22.98. Josh Beck clocked a time of 23.22 and was eighth.

Courtney Werner and Maggie Dervis also competed in the women's 400 meters and were fourth (1:00.51) and fifth (1:01.09), respectively.

UND concluded the meet with the men's 4x400-meter relay. The team of Middendorf, Zak King, Aleksa Milanovic and Alec Nelson gained the bronze medal in a time of 3:34.26.

Elise Ulseth and Julia Matthews also competed unattached at the Bison Team Cup. Ulseth was second in the 400 meters with a time of 59.66, while Matthews was fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 51-3 (15.62m).

North Dakota will continue indoor track and field action on Saturday at SDSU for the Jim Emmerich Invitational.

Post-Meet Notes
- Three Hawks won individual titles: Jerzie Finstad (400m), Allison Lardy (shot put) and Austin Wolf (high jump).
- A total of five improvements were made to the UND top-10 list.
- Malene Kollberg and Tiffanie Magnusson each placed in three events.
- With the three event titles today, North Dakota has now won five event titles in 2022-23.