GRAND FORKS, N.D. – A handful of throwers from the North Dakota track & field team will visit Oxford, Miss., for the Ole Miss Classic this weekend.

Select throwers from the women's team will take part in the hammer throw on Friday afternoon at Noon, before turning around and competing in the shot put at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Live results of the meet will be provided by Delta Timing.

Last Time Out
Two weeks ago, North Dakota opened its outdoor season at Cal State Fullerton and came away with three individual titles, a new steeplechase school record, nine improvements to the UND top-10 list and placed 19 times.

Jadyn Keeler broke her own school record in the 3,000-meters steeplechase on day one of the meet and won the event crown in the process with a personal-best time of 10:42.85. She broke her previous record of 10:46.45, which she set at the 2022 Summit League Outdoor Championships. Her time was also a new meet record for the Ben Brown Invitational, breaking the record of Helena Valentic (CSU Bakersfield), who set it at 11:25.58 last season.

Frida Giersdorff also made her mark on the UND top-10 list in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, placing fifth in 11:14.11, which moved her up to No. 7 in school history.

Aleksa Milanovic won the 1,500-meter crown with a time of 3:51.33. Alec Nelson crossed the finish line fourth with a PR time of 3:53.52, while Ian Busche was right behind him and took fifth in 3:54.59. Nelson's personal best moved him up to No. 4 on the UND top-10 list, while Busche moved onto the list with the No. 6 time in program history.

In the final event on the track for day one, a trio of Fighting Hawks placed in the 800 meters. Nelson was the runner-up in 1:51.95, followed by Jesse Middendorf taking third (1:52.33) and Milanovic placing fifth (1:53.37). It was the closest race of the day, with it coming down to a photo finish and Tarron Johnson of UC Riverside (1:51.94) just edging out Nelson for the title.

Justin Jelaca also added his name to the UND top-10 list in the 5,000 meters, clocking a time of 14:52.85, which was good for No. 6 in school history.

UND impressed in the javelin, with the Hawks going 1-2-3 and placing four times. Eucabeth Kivikangas was victorious with a throw of 123-6 (37.66m), while Malene Kollberg was the runner-up (120-0, 36.58m) and
Justina Esangbedo took third (116-6, 35.52m). Elle Thorson also placed seventh with a mark of 109-2 (33.29m).

Emily Ash finished fourth in the pole vault and entered the UND top-10 list with the No. 4 clearance in program history with a height of 12-0 3/4 (3.68m).

Tiffanie Magnusson took fourth in the long jump with a leap of 18-4 1/2 (5.60m).

Kaylynn Red Tomahawk was the first Hawk to place of the outdoor season and finished seventh in the hammer throw with a toss of 164-2 (50.05m).

On day two, the 4x100-meter relay team of Caleb Severson, Michael Mallory, Maxwell Roller and Jory Vasek were the first UND student-athletes to take the track and clocked a time of 42.45, which was good for the No. 10 time in school history. The relay squad finished just outside placing territory at the meet and was ninth.

UND also placed twice in the women's 4x100-meter relay. The squad of Nadia Evans, Jerzie Finstad, Patricija Grosberga and Alimath Salou placed fifth with a time of 48.64. The team of Kollberg, Magnusson, Thorson and Jenna Koppelsloen was right behind them and finished sixth in 48.98.

Kollberg and Eve Goldstein were the final Fighting Hawks to place at the meet and both took sixth in their respective events. Kollberg was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.32, while Goldstein took sixth in the shot put with a toss of 44-7 (13.59m).

James Weninger and Trenton Hanseder both added their names to the UND top-10 list in their events. Weninger tied the No. 7 height in school history with a high jump clearance of 6-3 1/4 (1.91m). Hanseder put down the No. 8 leap in UND history in the triple jump with a mark of 44-7 1/2 (13.60m).

Top-10 Hawks
The Fighting Hawks have already achieved nine new top-10 outdoor marks in school history this season, including one new program record:
* Jadyn Keeler – 3,000m Steeplechase (No. 1 – 10:42.85)
* Alec Nelson – 1,500m (No. 4 – 3:53.52)
* Emily Ash – Pole Vault (No. 4 – 12-0 3/4, 3.68m)
* Ian Busche – 1,500m (No. 6 – 3:54.59)
* Justin Jelaca – 5,000m (No. 6 – 14:52.85)
* Frida Giersdorff – 3,000m Steeplechase (No. 7 – 11:14.11)
* James Weninger – High Jump (No. 7t – 6-3 1/4, 1.91m)
* Trenton Hanseder – Triple Jump (No. 8 – 44-7 1/2, 13.60m)
* Caleb Severson – 4x100m Relay (No. 10 – 42.85)
* Michael Mallory – 4x100m Relay (No. 10 – 42.85)
* Maxwell Roller – 4x100m Relay (No. 10 – 42.85)
* Jory Vasek – 4x100m Relay (No. 10 – 42.85)

On Tap
Next week, the Fighting Hawks are slated to compete at the Texas Relays (March 27-28), Stanford Invitational (March 29-30) and Mike Fanelli Track Classic (March 29-30).