RIVER FALLS, Wisc. – The Black Hills State University rodeo team got its 2014-15 season off to a good start after placing fourth in both the men's and women's divisions while claiming the team roping championship.

The Yellow Jackets competed at the Falcon Stampede, hosted by the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, in the three-day competition.

"It was good to get one under our belt," Black Hills head coach Glen Lammers said. "We had some good performances and we finished a respectable fourth place with both teams for our first rodeo.

"We want to build on some of the successes we had and can make a move with the teams next week."

The team of Jake Herman and Lane Rossow won the team roping with a long go and short go total of 19.6 seconds, winning the by average and having the top times. 

The Yellow Jackets ended with three of the top five finishers in the event as Wyatt Treeby claimed third place with 21.0 seconds on the two rounds. Jesse Oliver had 9.1 seconds in the first round, which was good enough for fifth place in the average.

Katie Lensegrav placed second in the finals and third overall in the average with 8.8 seconds in the breakaway roping.  She also placed second in the long go and fifth in the short go in the goat tying with a two-day average of 16.7 seconds.

Out of 103 competitors in the barrel racing, Samantha Jorgenson claimed sixth place with the two-round score of 32.99 seconds in a tight race. The fourth and fifth place finishers ended the event with 32.96-second two-day scores.

In the tie down roping, Rowdy Curr placed fifth in the long go with a time of 13.4 seconds.

The Yellow Jackets return to action next weekend for the Railtown USA Collegiate Rodeo hosted by Mid Plains Community College in North Platte, Nebraska. The event is a two-day rodeo starting Friday.