SPEARFISH, S.D. – Hosting their first outdoor meet since the spring of 2022, the Black Hills State University track & field programs kicked off the first day of competition at the Scott Walkinshaw Open & Multi on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets collected a pair of top-5 finishes in the hammer throw as Isabell Higgins notched a third place finish in the women's event, while Ryan Baker was fifth in the men's event. Additionally, the multis started the weekend on the track and sees Alivia Weathers leading the heptathlon through four events after a pair of wins and career-best marks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – MEN'S TRACK & FIELD

• With a mark of 46.83m (153' 7") in the hammer throw for Ryan Baker, he secured a fifth place finish in the event to lead a quartet of Yellow Jackets in the field event. Adding top-10 finishes in the event for BHSU was Anthony Rosenstrauch with a seventh place finish and career-best mark of 44.20m (145' 0'), Logan Class who was eighth with a mark of 43.92m (144' 1"), and Canyon Burkard who was ninth with a career-best mark of 39.33m (129' 0").

HOW IT HAPPENED – WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD

• With four of the seven heptathlon events complete, Alivia Weathers holds the lead with 2,382 points in the multis competition. On the first day of the meet, she collected wins in the 100m hurdles with a career-best time of 16.12 and the shot put with a career-best mark of 11.15m (36' 7").
• Also competing in the heptathlon, Alessandra Broussard sits in third place with a total of 2,092 points. She recorded second place finishes in shot put with a mark of 8.88m (29' 1.75") and the 200m dash with a time of 27.45.
• A career-best mark of 44.36m (145' 6") notched a third place finish for Isabell Higgins in the hammer throw, leading a group of five BHSU athletes in the event. Also adding top-10 finishes for the Green & Gold was KyleeJo Symonds who posted a career-best mark of 35.70m (117' 1") for seventh place and Elissa Kipp collected an eighth place finish with a throw of 33.90m (111' 2") in her collegiate debut in the event. Additionally, Cassidy Goddard finished 12^th with throw of 32.70m (107' 3") as she also made her collegiate debut in the event.

UP NEXT
The Black Hills State track & field programs will continue action at Lyle Hare Stadium tomorrow as the Scott Walkinshaw Open & Multi enters the second and final day of competition. The day begins at 9 a.m. with the decathlon and heptathlon, followed by track events at 11 a.m., and then field events get underway at 12 p.m. in Spearfish.