Sean Seefeld - Dickinson State Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Bismarck, N.D. - Blue Hawk track and field turned in a strong performance at the U-Mary Tune-Up, with both the men's and women's teams placing third overall in the team standings. The meet served as the final meet before the conference championships, and several Blue Hawks made the most of the opportunity.

The highlight of the day came from the women's 4x800-meter relay team. The squad of Morgan Aune, Jewel Olson, Natalie Lile, and Mia Handran dominated the field, taking first place with a time of 9:37.25. The performance not only secured eight points but also earned the team an "A" standard for the NAIA national meet and vaulted them to No. 22 in the national rankings.

On the men's side, junior Hudson Atkinson led the way with a win in the 400-meter dash, clocking 50.12. Senior Hayden Lockie followed in third with a personal-best time of 50.68, and freshman Eli Heacock added a fifth-place finish. Freshman Maximus Kadrmas continued to impress in the 400-meter hurdles, winning the event in a personal-best 55.48. Jarett Schuchard and Carl Askins placed third and fourth, respectively, in the same race.

The women's 400-meter dash was also a strong event for the Blue Hawks, with Jewel Olson taking second (56.27), followed closely by Kaitlyn McColly, Mia Handran, and Zoey Heid, all posting seasonal bests. Lauren Taylor claimed another Blue Hawk win in the women's 1500m with a time of 5:11.41, while Vaughn Miller placed second in the men's javelin throw with a mark of 48.03m.

UP NEXT

The Blue Hawks will host the NSAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 8–9 at the Biesiot Activities Center.