BROOKINGS, S.D. — The Dickinson State women's indoor track and field team recorded multiple conference champions and national qualifying marks at the Frontier Conference Championships, highlighted by event victories in the hurdles, jumps and throws during the two-day meet.
Faith Sullivan-Brennan led the Blue Hawks on the track, advancing from the 60-meter hurdles preliminaries with a time of 8.95 before finishing second in the final in a personal-best 8.86 to score eight team points. Brennan also competed in the 60-meter dash prelims, running 8.05.
In the 600 meters, Mia Handran placed second with a personal-best 1:38.32, a mark that ranks among the NAIA national list this season. Dickinson State added key points in the 800 meters, where Natalie Lile finished third in a personal-best 2:21.63 and Loli Jarrett followed in fourth in 2:21.77. Mady Willis posted personal bests in both the 200 meters (26.85) and 400 meters (1:01.22).
The field events produced multiple conference titles for Dickinson State. Adarra Hagelund won the high jump with a clearance of 1.76 meters, a season-best mark that ranks atop the NAIA performance list. Brennan placed fifth (1.56 meters) and Taylynd Stuhr (1.56 meters) finished sixth in the event.
Brennan secured a conference title in the triple jump with a winning mark of 11.87 meters. Hagelund added a fourth-place finish with a personal-best 11.16 meters, and Abby Talkington placed seventh with a personal-best mark at 10.76 meters. Brennan also finished third in the long jump at 5.65 meters, while Hagelund scored with a seventh-place effort.
In the pole vault, Stuhr placed third with a clearance of 3.10 meters and Willis finished fourth at the same height. The throws were a major strength throughout the meet. Kori Nagel claimed conference titles in both the shot put at 15.40 meters and weight throw at 19.40 meters. Codi Nagle placed second in the shot put (14.43 meters), while Alician Parks and Rebecca Eacker also scored. Eacker and Parks added fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively, in the weight throw.
Hagelund and Brennan also contributed across the indoor pentathlon, combining scoring efforts in the hurdles, jumps, throws and distance events to add depth to the team total.
Dickinson State closed the meet with scoring relay performances. The 4x800 meter relay team of Jarrett, Lauren Taylor, Handran and Lile placed third in 9:34.99. The 4x400 meter relay team of Jarrett, Handran, Lile and Willis finished fifth in a season-best 4:09.87.
"The men and women both did a fantastic job today," said head coach Shayne Wittkopp. "We talk about competing every week and today that was on full display. We had a lot of great individual performances that helped us get over the hump today. When it come down to the 4x400 relay like it did today it's a lot of fun for the athletes. Coaches would like a little more breathing room. Hats off to Dakota State — they've had a great season and they pushed us over the last two days. The other conference teams did a great job as well. The new conference definitely had a different energy — it was a lot of fun."
"The program owes a lot to our assistant coaches and I'd like to thank them for their efforts," Wittkopp added. "Looking forward to the next season."
Dickinson State compiled conference titles, podium finishes and national marks as the indoor season moves toward its next stage of competition.
