North Dakota track and field athletes achieved several personal records and new entries in school history during a series of competitions that began April 16 in California.
The events, which took place at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate hosted by Long Beach State and the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific, saw both throwing and distance squads from North Dakota making notable performances. The results included five new entries into the University of North Dakota (UND) Top 10 list across multiple disciplines.
In the women’s hammer throw, Cailey Moton reached a mark of 189-11 (57.89 meters), earning her tenth place overall, a personal best, fifth all-time in UND history, and second in the Summit League this season. Julia Matthews also set a personal record with a throw of 187-8 (57.22 meters), moving her to ninth all-time for UND and third in the conference. Both athletes are now ranked on the NCAA West Qualifying List at positions thirty-sixth and fortieth respectively. Kaylynn Red Tomahawk finished twenty-eighth with a throw of 169-4 (51.62 meters). On the men’s side, Carter Byron threw for thirty-fifth place with a distance of 141-1 (43.08 meters).
Matthews competed again in women’s shot put with a mark of 44-3¼ (13.49 meters) for thirty-second place while Haidyn Skeen finished forty-fourth at 40-9¾ (12.44 meters). In men’s shot put, Tyler Thoreson led North Dakota finishers placing twenty-first with his throw of 52-11 (16.13 meters), followed by Boaz Raderschadt who recorded a personal best at fifty-two feet three-and-a-quarter inches for twenty-third place.
Ilaria Villa delivered another strong performance in discus throw by reaching eighteenth place with her career-best mark of 165-6 (50.44 meters). This achievement placed her sixth on UND’s all-time list, first in this season’s Summit League standings, and forty-fourth regionally.
At Azusa Pacific’s Bryan Clay Invitational, freshman Marie-Louise Jorgensen ran to eleventh place in Section Open A of the women’s ten-thousand-meter run with a time of 34:53.59—fifth-fastest ever for UND—while Katie Rogers clocked an eighth-best time for UND history finishing thirty-fifth overall at 35:32.96; both now rank among conference leaders as well.
Competition will continue throughout the weekend across various meets including further action at Bryan Clay Invitational as well as events held during Beach Invitational and Tom Tellez Alumni Invitational.
