BROOKINGS, S.D. – North Dakota kicked off its 2025-26 indoor season at the SDSU Holiday Open on Friday. On the opening day of NCAA track & field competition, the Fighting Hawks placed 23 times and the meet and posted six upgrades to the UND top-10 lists.

Julia Matthews led the North Dakota throwers and placed twice at the meet. She was the runner-up in the weight throw with a personal-best mark of 60-7 3/4 (18.48m). That throw improved her No. 8 mark on the UND top-10 list. Later in the meet, she also took third in the shot put with a toss of 45-0 1/4 (13.72m).

Kaylynn Red Tomahawk and Cailey Moton also joined Matthews in the weight throw and placed fourth (57-7, 17.55m) and sixth (54-9 1/4, 16.69m), respectively. Moton's mark was also a personal best.

Tyler Thoreson, throwing in his first meet as a Fighting Hawk, was the only other UND thrower to place at the meet and finished sixth in the shot put with a throw of 52-0 1/2 (15.86m).

On the track, the women's sprinters shined and rearranged the UND top-10 list in the 400 meters. Kimberly Hitchen was the runner-up with a PR of 56.42, good for the No. 6 time in program history. Sawyer Timmer, running in her first collegiate meet, was third in 57.37 and posted the No. 8 time in school history. Marta Marksa took fourth in 57.66 and that time now sits No. 10 on the UND top-10 list.

Later in the meet, Hitchen and Timmer took the track for the 200 meters and placed sixth (25.76) and seventh (25.91), respectively.

Marksa also placed for the second time of the meet in the 60-meter hurdles final with a time of 10.12. She automatically qualified for the final by winning her preliminary heat in 8.85.

In the men's 200 meters, Cruz Megazzini took part in the invitational 200 meters and was fourth with a PR of 22.35. That time currently ties for No. 9 on the UND top-10 list.

After Megazzini's race, Josh Neil and Dash Ohlsen ran in the 200 meters. Neil was third with a personal best of 22.49. Ohlsen placed seventh with a time of 22.70.

Less than an hour earlier, Neil was the runner-up in the 400 meters with a PR of 49.55 and missed the UND top-10 list by less than 0.06 seconds. Ohlsen finished third in a time of 50.65.

The distance team also placed seven times at the meet. Till Woldrich had the most impressive finish for the distance squad and was third in the men's 800 meters with a time of 1:53.63, which now sits as the No. 10 time in the event in UND history.

Also in the men's 800 meters, Luke Fehrenbacher took sixth (1:53.92) and Darby Griffin was eighth (1:54.10).

Gabriella Ruggeri also posted a sixth-place finish in the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:15.88.

Towards the beginning of the meet, Jonas Weschle and Niko Angell finished in the top-eight in the 5,000 meters. Weschle was sixth with a time of 14:54.97, while Angell took eighth with a PR of 15:02.81.

Jackie Dudus was the final Hawk to place at the meet and finished eighth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:28.39.

Select members of the North Dakota distance team will visit Boston on Saturday for the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener and the Early Bird at the TRACK at new balance.

POST-MEET NOTES
* North Dakota placed 23 times and posted six upgrades to the UND top-10 list on the opening day of NCAA track & field competition at the SDSU Holiday Open on Friday.
* The Fighting Hawks also had eight student-athletes place in the top-eight of their respective events at the meet.
* Recent Fighting Hawk Jerzie Finstad won the women's 400-meter crown while running unattached with a time of 55.02.
* Tyler Thoreson, Sawyer Timmer, Dash Ohlsen, Till Woldrich, Luke Fehrenbacher, Darby Griffin and Gabriella Ruggeri saw their first track & field action as Fighting Hawks at the meet.