Bethany Buell

Vermillion, S.D. – Freshman Bethany Buell broke her own USD record in the women’s pole vault to lead a group of Coyote track and field members that claimed 13 overall titles at the Graphic Edge Alumni Meet on Saturday in the DakotaDome. USD student-athletes also won 20 titles in the university division of their respective event.

A native of St. Louis, Mo., Buell set the school record last weekend in Lincoln, Neb., with a mark of 12-11 1/2, but cleared 13-3 on Saturday to improve the record by 3 1/2 inches. Her vault ranks 13th in NCAA Division I entering the weekend.

Buell made her first three heights on the first attempt at each, before missing at 12-8. She rebounded to make on her next attempt at the height and her first at 13-0. Buell took all three vaults to make 13-3, before fouling out at 13-6. Her performance barely missed the DakotaDome record of 13-5 3/4 set in 2007. Junior Haley Peterson (Norfolk, Neb.) and freshman Jessica Christian (Richland, Wash.) finished second and third overall by both clearing 12-0, while junior Tane Owens (Pierre, S.D.) won the overall men’s pole vault title in 16-0.

Sophomore Emma Erickson (Gayville, S.D.) approached her school and DakotaDome record with a 2:10.94 to win the overall title in the women’s 800 meters. She missed both records by less than a second, and the time ranks 18th in NCAA Division I. On the men’s side, freshman Casey Shade (Hartford, S.D.) won his second consecutive 800 meters with a 1:55 to claim the overall title by .3 of a second.

USD opened the running events on a good note by sweeping the university division of the 5,000 meters. Freshman Sigornie Pfefferle (Grand Island, Neb.) won the overall title with an 18:36 on the women’s side, while fellow freshman Ethan Marquardt (Albert Lea, Minn.) ran a 16:03 for fifth overall for the men.

USD claimed the top three overall spots in the men’s 60-meter dash. Freshmen Matt Kerswill (Schofield, Wis.) and Michael Burrus (Papillion, Neb.) went 1-2 in 6.90 and 6.93 seconds, respectively, while sophomore Jeremy Blount (Tampa, Fla.) ran a 6.95.

Senior Danielle Dornbusch (Papillion, Neb.) won the university division of the women’s weight throw with a toss of 48-3 1/2 to finish fourth overall and freshman Steve Nelson (Springfield, Neb.) won the university division on the men’s side with a toss of 50-0 3/4 to finish second overall.

Sophomore Bill Lane (Sioux City, Iowa) won the overall title in the men’s 400-meter dash in 50.92, while freshman Ashley Sveum (Eau Claire, Wis.) won the women’s university division in 1:00.42.

Senior Ramsey Fitzsimmons (Yankton, S.D.) won the overall title in the women’s mile with a 5:03 and senior Rob Gregoire (Wakonda, S.D.) accomplished the same on the men’s side in 4:21.

Sophomore Chad Pinkelman (Norfolk, Neb.) finished third overall in the men’s long jump with a mark of 22-0 3/4. Sophomore Ashlea Johnson (Yankton, S.D.) won the university division and claimed second overall in the women’s long jump with a leap of 17-9 1/2 and junior Crystal Schiernbeck (Ida Grove, Iowa) was third overall in 17-1 1/4.

Freshman Kate Wellensiek (Cook, Neb.) earned an overall title in the women’s shot put with a 40-10 1/4 to win by 3/4 of an inch. Sophomore Cody Linder (Plattsmouth, Neb.) won the overall title of the men’s triple jump with a leap of 46-10 and senior Tia Haines (White Lake, S.D.) finished third overall on the women’s side in 36-11. Junior Jeff Sebern (Brookings, S.D.) won the university division of the men’s high jump with a leap of 6-4.

The USD 4x400-meter relay squad of Ashlea Johnson, Emma Erickson, Ashley Sveum and Alexa Duling combined to win the overall women’s title in 4:00, while Bill Lane, Brandon Kovash, Tim Brown and Casey Shade earned the overall men’s title in 3:26.

For complete results of the meet, click on the link above.

USD continues its track season by traveling to several meets next weekend. The majority of the Coyotes will be in Madison, Wis., for the Wisconsin Elite Invite, while South Dakota will also send representatives to the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev.