GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Six members of the North Dakota track and field team will make the trip to College Station, Texas, this week for the NCAA West Preliminary Round. The Fighting Hawks secured nine bids to the meet, with athletes ranking among the top 48 in the region in their respective events qualifying for the regional.
Ethan Thomas and
Jiri Ceska will be the first Fighting Hawks to compete at the meet. Thomas will begin the regional at 6 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday with the shot put, while Ceska will take the track in the first round of the 800 meters at 7:50 p.m. (CT). The quarterfinal round of the 800 meters will take place at 7:05 p.m. (CT) on Friday.
Thomas enters the meet as the No. 13 seed in the shot put. He qualified for the regional with a throw of 63-7 3/4 (19.40m) at the Triton Invitational at the beginning of April and won the elite section crown. While winning the title, he obliterated the previous school record toss of 58-10 (17.93m), set by Chris Evenson at the 2021 Mizzou Spring Opener.
Ceska was the last qualifier in the 800 meters and is the No. 48 seed. His time of 1:48.67 at the Bryan Clay Invitational held up to qualify him for the meet. At Azusa, he posted a new program record and edged out the previous record time of 1:48.97, which was set by
Alec Nelson at the 2023 Kip Janvrin Open.
Kenna Curry will open the meet for UND on Thursday, competing in the hammer throw at 10 a.m. (CT) and returning later that evening for the shot put at 6 p.m. (CT).
Jerzie Finstad will run in the first round of the 400 meters at 7:25 p.m. (CT) that evening and
Jadyn Keeler will close out the day in the 10,000 meters at 9:10 p.m. (CT). Finstad will be competing for the opportunity to run in the quarterfinals of the 400 meters at 6:50 p.m. (CT) on Saturday.
Curry solidified her spot in the hammer throw at the Summit League Outdoor Championships, when she captured the gold medal, broke the school record and shattered the conference meet record with a PR toss of 223-1 (68.01m). Her throw broke the program record of Molli Detloff, who set it at 222-11 (67.94m) at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Curry's throw also bettered the conference meet record mark of 217-6 (66.29m), which was set by Maddy Niles of North Dakota State in 2022. Curry currently ranks No. 8 regionally and No. 11 in the NCAA and enters the preliminary round as the No. 8 seed.
After the hammer throw, Curry will also participate in the shot put as the No. 25 seed. At the USD Tune-Up, Curry won the shot put and bettered her own program record with a PR throw of 53-8 1/4 (16.36m). Her previous record was 51-11 1/4 (15.83m), which she set at the Beach Invitational in April.
Finstad enters the meet seeded No. 42 in the 400 meters with a time of 53.57 at the Gary Wilson Invitational. Her time at Minnesota was a personal best and edged out the previous school record of Lucy Steinmeyer, who ran a time of 53.96 at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships.
Keeler is the best-seeded Hawk and will run in the 10,000 meters as the No. 4 seed. She ranks No. 6 in the NCAA currently and qualified for the meet with a school-record time of 32:06.70 at the Stanford Invitational, where she finished fourth and shattered the program record of
Yonca Kutluk, who set it at 32:57.85 on that same track last season. Keeler's time not only made UND history but currently ranks No. 17 in the NCAA all-time and broke the Canadian U23 record time of 32:32.61, which was set by Gracelyn Larkin of Ontario at the 2023 Stanford Invitational.
The Fighting Hawks will conclude their stay at the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Saturday. Curry will start the day in the discus at 1 p.m. (CT), trailed by
Frida Giersdorff in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 5:40 p.m. (CT) and Keeler in the 5,000 meters at 8:10 p.m. (CT).
Curry is the No. 40 seed in the discus and qualified for the meet with her toss at the USD Tune-Up. Her throw at that meet won the crown and improved her No. 5 toss in UND history with a personal best of 172-2 (52.48m). By competing in the hammer throw, shot put and discus, Curry will become the first student-athlete in UND's history to compete in all three throwing events at an NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Giersdorf enters the 3,000-meter steeplechase as the No. 39 seed after clocking a time of 10:18.85 at the Bryan Clay Invitational. With that time, she shattered the school record and took eighth in the open section with a PR. She destroyed the record of Keeler, who set it at 10:28.86 at the 2024 Summit League Outdoor Championships.
Keeler will be close out the meet in the 5,000 meters and is the No. 12 seed. She qualified for the meet with a time of 15:33.59 at the Bryan Clay Invitational and annihilated the program record in her invitational section. She shattered the previous record time of 16:04.26, set by Kutluk at the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational. Keeler's PR was an improvement by 1:26.09 to her previous best.
Live results of the NCAA West Preliminary Round will be provided by
Flash Results. Select events happening inside the stadium will also be live streamed on
ESPN+.
Fighting Hawk Regional Qualifiers (Top 12 at regionals qualify for nationals)
Thirteen Fighting Hawks Secure Outdoor All-Summit League honors
North Dakota had 13 Fighting Hawks named to the All-Summit League Team after posting 18 all-conference performances at the Summit League Outdoor Championships. The 13 Hawks achieved All-Summit League honors by finishing in the top three in their respective events at the conference meet.
Kenna Curry led the UND field athletes with three All-Summit League performances. She was victorious in the shot put and earned the gold medal on the final day of the championships with a toss of 51-6 1/4 (15.70m) and gained the silver medal in the discus with a throw of 163-7 (49.86m). On the opening day, she captured the gold medal, broke the school record and shattered the Summit League Outdoor Championships record in the hammer throw with a personal-best throw of 223-1 (68.01m). Her throw broke the program record of Molli Detloff, who set it at 222-1 (67.94m) at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Curry's hammer throw also bettered the conference meet record of 217-6 (66.29m), which was set by Maddy Niles of North Dakota State in 2022. At the end of the meet, Curry was named the Field Championship M.V.P.
Jadyn Keeler paced the North Dakota track athletes and piled up three all-conference accolades. On the final day, she was the gold medalist in the 5,000 meters with a time of 16:09.70. With that time, she broke the outdoor conference meet record time of 16:16.48, set by Amber Eichkorn of South Dakota at the 2015 Summit League Outdoor Championships, and beat the rest of the field by over 20 seconds. Earlier in the day, Keeler picked up the silver medal in the 1,500 meters in 4:24.35. Two days prior, she similarly ran away from the field in the 10,000 meters and won gold in a time of 35:32.01, crossing the finish line 25 seconds faster than the rest of the field. At the conclusion of the conference meet, Keeler was named the Track Championship M.V.P.
Malene Kollberg was the first gold medalist for the Fighting Hawks at the Summit League Outdoor Championships and won the heptathlon with 5,067 points. She led the entire way of the competition and recorded the top marks in the 100-meter hurdles (14.19), high jump (5-6 1/2, 1.69m) and javelin (105-0, 32.02m). Her heptathlon high jump clearance tied the No. 9 height in school history.
Ethan Thomas was a two-time All-Summit League performer and was named the Newcomer of the Championship at the end of the meet. He was the first UND student-athlete to medal at the meet, earning the silver medal in the javelin with a throw of 201-10 (61.53m). With that throw, he set a PR and climbed from No. 8 to No. 5 on the UND top-10 list. On the last day of the meet, he scored the final six points for NoDak and earned the bronze medal in the shot put with a toss of 58-0 1/4 (17.68m).
Eucabeth Kivikangas was the silver medalist in the heptathlon with 4,824 points. She posted PRs in the high jump (5-1 3/4, 1.57m) and 200 meters (25.29).
Frida Giersdorff earned the silver medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:44.92.
Jiri Ceska surged in the final 100 meters to gain the silver medal in the 800 meters with a time of 1:51.51.
Jory Vasek ran a time of 47.49 in the men's 400 meters to become a silver medalist.
Jerzie Finstad was the silver medalist in the women's 400 meters in 54.23.
Henrik Lindstrot was the bronze medalist in the men's section of the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking a time of 9:01.79.
Marta Marksa picked up the bronze medal in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.80.
Brooklyn Brouse was the bronze medalist in the women's 800 meters in 2:12.02.
Eve Goldstein earned the bronze in the shot put with a mark of 46-2 (14.07m).
Fight 'Em Hawks!
The Fighting Hawks have already achieved 71 new top-10 marks in school history this season, including 17 new program records:
Marta Marksa – 100m Hurdles (No. 1 – 13.55)
Jerzie Finstad – 200m (No. 1 – 23.74)
Jory Vasek – 400m (No. 1 – 47.12)
Marta Marksa – 400m Hurdles (No. 1 – 59.88)
Jiri Ceska – 800m (No. 1 – 1:48.67)
Matej Hrebacka – 1,500m (No. 1 – 3:45.34)
Jadyn Keeler – 1,500m (No. 1 – 4:20.03)
Matej Hrebacka – 3,000m (No. 1 – 8:20.38)
Frida Giersdorff – 3,000m Steeplechase (No. 1 – 10:18.85)
Jadyn Keeler – 5,000m (No. 1 – 15:33.59)
Matej Hrebacka – 5,000m (No. 1 – 14:00.56)
Matej Hrebacka – 10,000m (No. 1 – 29:47.35)
Jadyn Keeler – 10,000m (No. 1 – 32:06.70)
Shane Zierden – Long Jump (No. 1 – 24-1, 7.34m)
Kenna Curry – Shot Put (No. 1 – 53-8 1/4, 16.36m)
Ethan Thomas – Shot Put (No. 1 – 63-7 3/4, 19.40m)
Kenna Curry – Hammer Throw (No. 1 – 223-1, 68.01m)
Malene Kollberg – Heptathlon (No. 2 – 5,434 points)
Jerzie Finstad – 100m (No. 2 – 11.80)
Malene Kollberg – 100m Hurdles (No. 2 – 13.63)
Jory Vasek – 200m (No. 2 – 21.28)
Brooklyn Brouse – 800m (No. 2 – 2:08.40)
Louis-Lys Fanucchi – 1,500m (No. 2 – 3:45.61)
Louis-Lys Fanucchi – 3,000m (No. 2 – 8:21.41)
Emily Ash – Pole Vault (No. 2 – 12-8 1/4, 3.87m)
Tiffanie Magnusson – Long Jump (No. 2 – 19-10 1/4, 6.05m)
Ethan Thomas – Discus (No. 2 – 181-2, 55.24m)
Cruz Megazzini – 200m (No. 3 – 21.39)
Michael Mallory – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 41.48)
Maxwell Roller – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 41.48)
Maverick Kneefe – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 41.48)
Jory Vasek – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 41.48)
Alimath Salou – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 47.39)
Porsha Miles – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 47.39)
Kimberly Hitchen – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 47.39)
Patricija Grosberga – 4x100m Relay (No. 3 – 47.39)
Marta Marska – 4x400m Relay (No. 3 – 3:46.95)
Brooklyn Brouse – 4x400m Relay (No. 3 – 3:46.95)
Jerzie Finstad – 4x400m Relay (No. 3 – 3:46.95)
Kimberly Hitchen – 4x400m Relay (No. 3 – 3:46.95)
Henrik Lindstrot – 3,000m (No. 3 – 8:22.27)
Henrik Lindstrot – 3,000m Steeplechase (No. 2 – 8:55.20)
Louis-Lys Fanucchi – 3,000m Steeplechase (No. 3 – 8:58.61)
Eliana Malnourie – 10,000m (No. 3 – 34:58.59)
Malene Kollberg – Long Jump (No. 3 – 19-9 3/4, 6.04m)
Eve Goldstein – Shot Put (No. 3 - 49-6 1/4, 15.09m)
Kimberly Hitchen – 400m Hurdles (No. 3t – 60.91)
Alimath Salou – 100m (No. 4 – 12.11)
Michael Mallory – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 41.60)
Cruz Megazzini – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 41.60)
Jory Vasek – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 41.60)
Maxwell Roller – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 41.60)
Nadia Evans – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 47.75)
Patricija Grosberga – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 47.75)
Porsha Miles – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 47.75)
Alimath Salou – 4x100m Relay (No. 4 – 47.75)
P.K. Moore – 4x400m Relay (No. 7 – 3:15.33)
Henry Nelson – 4x400m Relay (No. 7 – 3:15.33)
Jiri Ceska – 4x400m Relay (No. 7 – 3:15.33)
Jory Vasek – 4x400m Relay (No. 7 – 3:15.33)
Henrik Lindstrot – 1,500m (No. 4 – 3:48.30)
Shane Zierden – Triple Jump (No. 4 – 47-8, 14.53m)
Lennart Lindstrot – 3,000m (No. 5 – 8:44.55)
Eliana Malnourie – 5,000m (No. 5 – 16:51.52)
Marta Marksa – Long Jump (No. 5 – 19-2, 5.84m)
Trenton Hanseder – Triple Jump (No. 5 – 46-7 1/4, 14.20m)
Kenna Curry – Discus (No. 5 – 172-2, 52.48m)
Ethan Thomas – Javelin (No. 5 – 201-10, 61.53m)
Maverick Kneefe - 4x400m Relay (No. 5t – 3:16.46)
Henry Nelson - 4x400m Relay (No. 5t – 3:16.46)
P.K. Moore - 4x400m Relay (No. 5t – 3:16.46)
Jory Vasek – 4x400m Relay (No. 5t – 3:16.46)
Nadia Evans – 200m (No. 6 – 24.70)
Kimberly Hitchen – 400m (No. 6 – 55.99)
Lennart Lindstrot – 1,500m (No. 6 – 3:50.37)
Tiffanie Magnusson – 100m Hurdles (No. 7 – 14.45)
Jonas Weschle – 5,000m (No. 7 – 14:37.49)
Anya Williams – Triple Jump (No. 7 – 38-3 1/2, 11.67m)
Sawyer Nelson – Triple Jump (No. 7 – 45-8 1/2, 13.93m)
Justina Esangbedo – Javelin (No. 7 – 141-11, 43.26m)
Nadia Evans – 100m (No. 7t – 12.16)
Michael Mallory – 4x100m Relay (No. 7t – 41.93)
Maxwell Roller – 4x100m Relay (No. 7t – 41.93)
Maverick Kneefe – 4x100m Relay (No. 7t – 41.93)
Cruz Megazzini – 4x100m Relay (No. 7t – 41.93)
Michael Mallory – 100m (No. 8 – 10.75)
Malene Kollberg – 200m (No. 8 – 24.93)
Carson Kunz – High Jump (No. 8 – 6-7, 2.01m)
Cruz Megazzini – 100m (No. 9 – 10.76)
Niko Angell – 10,000m (No. 9 – 31:26.20)
Porsha Miles – 100m (No. 9t – 12.18)
Malene Kollberg – High Jump (No. 9t – 5-6 1/2, 1.69m)
Cruz Megazzini – 100m (No. 10 – 10.82)
Louis-Lys Fanucchi – 800m (No. 10 – 1:52.81)
Ethan Thomas – Hammer Throw (No. 10 – 175-8, 53.54m)
On Tap
The top 12 finishers at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The National Championships will be held from June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
