SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Dakota Wesleyan Track & Field competed at the Sioux City Relays down at Elwood Olsen Stadium against some of the region’s top competition.
The women’s side of the roster had a handful of standouts who hit new personal bests and highlights. Taliyah Hayes had great performances in both the women’s long jump, placing first with a 5.15m final mark, and the triple jump, also winning the event with a 10.84m, which sits 64th in the entire NAIA following the date of competition. Riley Jones would record a 5.41m in the heptathlon long jump, which was good for 57th in the NAIA, and would also record personal-bests in the 200m and shot put portions of the combined event.
Dani Deffenbaugh squeaked into the NAIA’s top 100 in the 100m hurdles as a part of the heptathlon with a 15.99-second time and would place fourth in the event overall. Hailey Oswald and Ashlyn Maldonado would both record top marks on their seasons in the 400m, with Oswald recording a 1:06.93, while Maldonado finished at 1:11.66. Oswald would also record a top-10 finish in the javelin throw with a personal-best mark of 25.58m.
In the throwing events, Shirley Huckins added to her impressive freshman campaign with a 40.67m throw in the discus, good for eighth place in the event and the 43rd in the NAIA, while Samantha Kludt recorded a top-100 mark in the hammer throw, with her 41.74m heave sitting 95th in the country. Stacy Ruelas-Hertz recorded a new personal best in the 200m with a mark of 27.79.
On the men’s side of competition, Tayne Herrmann and Quenton Walls would be the two competitors to set top-100 marks, with Walls hitting the 100th-ranked mark in the country with a 12.87m in the triple jump, placing third, while Herrmann hit a new personal best in javelin with a 47.84m throw, hitting 92nd in the NAIA. Walls would also take second in the long jump with a recorded 6.31m.
The entire group of Kellen Brozik, Dustin Lemaster, and Graham Huffman recorded new personal bests in the 800m, with Brozik coming in at 2:01.53, Lemaster just behind at 2:01.62, and Huffman at 2:07.53. Lemaster also posted a personal record of 50.79 in the 400m while Brozik hit a new season-best of 52.75. Sean DeBlieck hit a new season-high of 11.63m in the triple jump and posted an 11.48 in the 100m prelims, topped only by Quincy Stephens, who posted a time of 11.42 seconds. Stephens and DeBlieck would also compete in the 200m, and both finished in the top 30.
DWU Track & Field will be back in action at the Bauer Open on Friday, April 17th.