SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For the third consecutive season the Black Hills State women's triathlon team recorded a third place finish among NCAA Division II programs at the West National Qualifier. The Yellow Jackets posted a score of 441 points, also finishing seventh among teams from all NCAA divisions at Fellows Lake. Led by Jadyn Johnson who claimed All-Region honors with a 39^th place overall finish and seventh in DII, BHSU saw five punch return tickets to the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships and a pair of freshmen qualified for the first time in their careers, reaching the max of seven qualifiers for the event.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Leading the way for Black Hills State and punching a return trip to the national championships was Jadyn Johnson, who recorded a 39^th place finish overall and seventh among DII competition for All-Region honors. She totaled a time of 1:10:46 in the sprint race, besting her previous season-best at the distance. Johnson began the race with times of 11:47 in the 750m swim, 0:49 during the run to the first transition and 0:52 in the first transition. She then held the fastest time by a Yellow Jacket during the 20k bike ride before clocking a time of 0:42 in the second transition and ending the day with the second fastest BHSU time in the 5k run as she notched a time of 21:28.
• One of the Yellow Jackets top athletes throughout the year, Keira Wilkinson crossed the finish line 46^th overall and 11^th among DII competition, punching her first career ticket to the national championships. She clocked a time of 1:11:54 during the spring triathlon, which began with a quick start and the fastest time by a BHSU athlete in the swim as she turned in a time of 10:45. During the run to transition one and in transition one she recorded times of 0:50 and 0:35 respectively before a time of 36:09 in the bike portion of the race. She ended the morning with a the fastest Yellow Jacket time in transition two, clocking a time of 0:40, before totaling a time of 22:56 in the run.
• Another returner to the national championships will be Natalie Moose-Elkin, who turned in a season-best spring race time of 1:12:33 for a 49^th place finish overall and a 13^th place finish among DII competition. Her day began with the second fastest 750m swim, going into the fastest run to transition one by a BHSU athlete with a time of 0:44. She recorded a transition one time of 0:44 before once again posting the second fastest 20k bike time for the Yellow Jackets as she notched a time of 35:22. She ended the day with a transition two time of 0:43 and a 5k run time of 24:12.
• The third athlete to punch a return ticket to nationals was Sydney Gasper with a time of 1:13:37 for an overall finish of 51^st place and a DII finish of 15^th place. She started the triathlon with a time of 12:09 during the swim and the second fastest BHSU time of 0:47 in the run to transition one. In transition one she posted a time of 0:40 that led into the 20k bike ride with a time of 38:01. She completed the race with a time of 0:46 during the second transition and a time of 21:17 during the 5k run, the fastest by any BHSU athlete.
• The second freshman to punch her ticket to the national championships was Payton Sheehan, who clocked a time of 1:15:10 in the spring triathlon for an overall finish of 58^th place and a 20^th place DII finish. She recorded a season-best 750m swim time of 10:58 and posted times of 0:52 in the run to transition one and a time of 0:33 in transition one, the fastest by any BHSU athlete. She recorded a time of 35:44 during the bike portion of the race and ended the day with times of 0:45 during the second transition and 26:20 during the 5k run, a season-best for her in the discipline.
• Sydney Campbell is another Black Hills State athlete that will make a return trip to the national championships after she recorded a season-best sprint triathlon time of 1:17:14 for an overall finish of 66^th place and 26^th in DII. She began the day with a season-best 750m swim time of 12:24 and then clocked times of 0:49 on the run to transition one and 0:38 in transition one. During the 20k bike ride she turned in a time of 39:23 and followed it with the second-best BHSU time in transition two at 0:41. She concluded the day with a season-best 5k run time of 23:21.
• Rounding out the 2024 national qualifiers for Black Hills State was another returnee, Cassidy Teeslink, who turned in a time of 1:17:19 for 67^th place overall and 27^th in DII. She started the race by notching a season-best 750m swim time of 12:30, a time of 0:49 during the run to transition run, and a time of 0:41 in transition one. Then midway through the race she recorded a time of 37:28 in the bike portion and a time of 0:50 in transition two, leading to a season-best 5k run time of 25:02.
• Scarlett Walsh concluded the year with a time of 1:18:23 for. 71^st place finish overall and 30^th place in DII. She began the day with a season-best 750m swim time of 11:14, before proceeding to post times of 0:49 on the run to transition one, and a time of 1:07 in transition one. Walsh clocked a time of 39:32 during the bike portion of the race and then ended the day with times of 0:53 in transition two and 24:49 for a season-best 5k run time.
• The final finisher for Black Hills State was Chantel Bickler, who clocked a time of 1:21:34 for 89^th place and 35^th place among DII competition. She began the day with a season-best 750m swim time of 14:58, and then went on to post times of 0:53 in the run to transition one, and then a time of 0:44 in transition one. Bickler then went on to notch times of 41:02 during the bike ride, a time of 0:58 during transition two, and 23:01 during the run.
• Anna Austad began the triathlon with a season-best 750m swim time of 11:20 before posting times of 0:53 in the run to transition one and a time of 0:47 in transition one. She ended her day with a time of 38:35 in the bike portion and did not complete the race. 

BLACK HILLS STATE RESULTS

Place (D2)	Name	Swim	Run to T1	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Total Time
39. (7)	Jadyn Johnson *	11:47	0:49	0:52	35:11	0:42	21:28	1:10:46
46. (11)	Keira Wilkinson *	10:45	0:50	0:35	36:09	0:40	22:56	1:11:54
49. (13)	Natalie Moose-Elkin *	10:51	0:44	0:44	35:22	0:43	24:12	1:12:33
51. (15)	Sydney Gasper *	12:09	0:47	0:40	38:01	0:46	21:17	1:13:37
58. (20)	Payton Sheehan *	10:58	0:52	0:33	35:44	0:45	26:20	1:15:10
66. (26)	Sydney Campbell *	12:24	0:49	0:38	39:23	0:41	23:21	1:17:14
67. (27)	Cassidy Teeslink *	12:30	0:51	0:41	37:28	0:50	25:02	1:17:19
71. (30)	Scarlett Walsh	11:14	0:49	1:07	39:32	0:53	24:49	1:18:23
89. (35)	Chantel Bickler	14:58	0:53	0:44	41:02	0:58	23:01	1:21:34
	Anna Austad	11:20	0:53	0:47	38:35	36:54	--	DNF
* National Qualifiers

 
TEAM RESULTS

1. Arizona State (D1) *	614
2. Arizona (D1)	614
3. Denver (D1)	595
4. South Dakota (D1)	529
5. Drury (D2)	478
6. Colorado Mesa (D2)	450
7. Black Hills State (D2)	441
8. North Central (D3)	433
9. Cal Poly Humboldt (D2)	418
10. Indianapolis (D2)	315
11. Central (D3)	314
12. Calvin (D3)	304
13. Willamette (D3)	292
14. Millikin (D3)	241
15. Northern Kentucky (D1)	113
16. Concordia (Wis.) (D3)	46

 
UP NEXT
Black Hills State's seven national qualifiers will have approximately a month off until they compete at the 2024 Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships, held in Clermont, Florida, on Saturday, November 9. The race will consist of three heats starting at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. at the Lake Louisa State Park, home of the first-ever collegiate championship ten years ago in 2014.