BILLINGS, Mont. – Dickinson State country teams delivered a standout performance at the Yellowjackets/Battlin' Bears Open on Friday, highlighted by a dominant individual win from junior Caleb Sarsland and a wave of personal bests across both the men's and women's squads.

Sarsland stole the show in the men's 8K race, breaking the 25-minute barrier with a blistering time of 24:45.2 to claim the individual title.

"The Blue Hawks competed in the Yellowjackets/Battlin' Bears XC Open in style," said head coach Dr. Thomas Schwartz. "Many athletes set personal bests for their respective distances—both women and men—including, in particular, the overall individual champion Caleb Sarsland at 24:45."

Backed by Sarsland's performance, the Blue Hawk men placed fifth in the 15-team field with 125 points. Freshman Caleb Swisher was the second finisher for Dickinson State in 27:27.0 (24th place), followed by Hudson Atkinson (28:04.4), Jacob Littleton (28:19.8), and Eli Heacock (28:25.0) to round out the scoring five.

On the women's side, Dickinson State secured a seventh-place team finish in a competitive 14-team field. Senior Natalie Lile led the Blue Hawks with a strong showing in the 6K, clocking in at 24:15.7 to take 19th overall. She was followed closely by teammates Loli Jarrett (24:27.3) and Mia Handran (24:35.0), with Lauren Taylor (25:33.2) and Kheyerah Bilger (26:03.6) completing the scoring effort.

The meet brought together a strong field from across the region, offering a valuable mid-season test for Dickinson State's runners. With numerous athletes recording lifetime bests and Sarsland setting the pace at the front, the Blue Hawks continue to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.