BISMARCK, N.D. — Dickinson State opened the season at the Marauders Invitational with both programs placing fifth in team scoring against a deep field. The Blue Hawk women totaled 123 points behind a tight scoring five, while the men finished with 124, led by a top-five finish from Caleb Sarsland.
Women (6K) — Senior Lauren Taylor set the pace for DSU, placing 28th in 24:08.45, a personal best that put the Blue Hawks in solid position early. Sophomore Mia Handran followed as the team's second scorer in 32nd at 24:40.63, also a personal best.
Freshman Kheyerah Bilger debuted in 39th at 25:31.55, while Senior Natalie Lile provided veteran stability at 40th in 25:51.63, giving DSU four finishers in the top 40. Junior Loli Jarrett closed the scoring five in 48th with a time of 28:08.99, securing the team total. Freshman Amanda Willis completed the lineup in 51st at 29:11.58.
Team scoring for the women (Taylor 28th/19 pts, Handran 32nd/21, Bilger 39th/25, Lile 40th/26, Jarrett 48th/32) summed to 123, good for fifth behind North Dakota State, UMary, Minot State and Bismarck State.
Men (8K) — Junior Caleb Sarsland delivered a top-end result, finishing fifth overall in 25:26.24 to anchor DSU's team score with single-digit points. Freshman Caleb Swisher made an immediate impact, placing 36th in 28:02.51.
Sophomore Eli Heacock added 42nd in 28:22.36, a personal best, while senior Hudson Atkinson followed one spot back in 43rd at 28:24.87, pairing with Heacock to steady the middle of the lineup. Sophomore Jacob Littleton rounded out the scoring five in 45th with 28:32.28.
Freshman Kyler Holinde finished 53rd in 30:11.53 and sophomore Brady Hoverson was 54th in 30:26.69 (personal best). Freshman Drew Abrahamson completed the roster in 64th at 36:48.09.
The men's score (Sarsland 5th/5 pts, Swisher 36th/25, Heacock 42nd/30, Atkinson 43rd/31, Littleton 45th/33) totaled 124, placing the Blue Hawks fifth behind North Dakota State, UMary, Bismarck State and Minot State.
Head coach Dr. Thomas Schwartz noted the performance provided an encouraging foundation. "It was a great start to the season against strong competition, and the Hawks are just getting started," Schwartz said. "Several athletes ran personal bests despite the windy conditions. On the men's side, Caleb Sarsland broke up the NDSU pack with a fifth-place finish, while Lauren Taylor led the women in 28th with a new personal best. We're excited to build on this momentum and look forward to competing at our home meet in Medora on September 20."
