FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Shane Zierden represented North Dakota track and field in the opening day of competition at the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Wednesday afternoon before narrowly missing on a bid for a championship ticket.
 
In the lone event for the Fighting Hawks, Zierden took on the long jump as the No. 29 seed in the event. His first jump proved to be the day's highlight for the sophomore with a mark of 24-8 1/2 (7.53m). It was the highest-placing mark for athletes in the second heat but ended up not being enough against four full flights of athletes.
 
Zierden finished 16^th overall in the event, finishing just shy of a bid to the national championship meet in Eugene, Oregon while improving 13 spots from his original No. 29 ranking. It also marked the highest finish by a UND athlete in the long jump at the NCAA West Prelims in program history.
 
His regional performance comes just two weeks after a show-stopping display at the Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships earlier this month. Zierden broke his own school record in the long jump with a career-best leap of 25-2 (7.67m) to claim the gold medal before also finishing third in the triple jump alongside a mark of 48-7 1/2 (14.82m). The two-time All-Summit League performer collected another personal best at the meet, this time in the javelin throw with a 174-5 (53.16m). It brought the Fergus Falls, Minn.-native's top-five season total finishes to nine this year alone.
 
Competition at the NCAA West Preliminary Round will resume for North Dakota on Thursday morning as the duo of Julia Matthews and Cailey Moton take on the hammer throw at 9:30 a.m. before the trio of Shewaye Johnson, Jadyn Keeler and Naja Weiler compete in the 10,000-meter run at 9:10 p.m.

For more information on North Dakota track and field, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDtrackfieldXC.