Spearfish, S.D. – For the second consecutive and final weekend prior to national selections, the Black Hills State University men's and women's track & field teams are in action at last chance meets, competing at the Tom Gage Classic hosted by Montana State on Friday, May 8, and the Franson Last Chance hosted by Azusa Pacific on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9. The quartet of Flynn Johnston (400m hurdles), Bridger Anderson (long jump), Gretchen Adamski (pole vault), and Lauryn Bennett (pole vault) will travel to the meet in Bozeman, Montana, while the trio of Evan Smith (800m run & 1,500m run), Gavin Kuhlenbeck (3,000m steeplechase), and Evie Boyd (1,500m run & 5,000)  will travel the meet in Azusa, California. Currently Smith (800m run), Boyd (3,000m steeplechase), Cassidy Goddard (discus), and Adamski (pole vault), sit within the top-22 needed to qualify for the national championships set for two weeks from this weekend, while the others in action this weekend look to secure a last minute spot to Emporia, Kansas.
 
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD STORYLINES

• Evan Smith, who was a Second Team All-American in the 800m run in the indoor season, hits the track in southern California for one final tune-up in the event. He currently sits tenth nationally in NCAA Division II in the 800m run with a converted time of 1:48.38 from 1:48.96 at the RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where he earned First Team All-RMAC accolades with a second place finish. His time of 1:48.58 at the Brian Clay Invitational on April 17 broke the school record.
• Gavin Kuhlenbeck looks for his first NCAA Provisional mark of the year, competing in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Franson Last Chance where he will need a time of 9:10.72 for the provisional mark and 9:00.57 to get within the current top-22 nationally. It will be his first time competing in the event collegiately at BHSU, but he did previously run the event while at Charleston Southern and was an All-Big South performer in the event in 2021 with a career-best time of 9:09.58. This year he has recorded career-best times of 4:02.71 in the 1,500m run at the Grubby's Easter Classic and 30:34.13 in the 10,000m run at the Bryan Clay Invitational. His time in the 10,000m run ranked fourth in school history.
• Flynn Johnston was a First Team All-RMAC performer in the 400m hurdles at the RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, clocking a time of 52.61 for third place. Earlier this season at the Mines Midweek & Multi, he clocked a time of 52.56 that converted to 52.67 for an NCAA Provisional time that ranks 45^th in NCAA Division II this year. His time of 52.56 ranks second in Black Hills State history. In order to break into the top-22 nationally, he will need to run a time of 51.92 at the Tom Gage Classic on Friday.
• Bridger Anderson will seek an NCAA Provisional mark in the long jump at the Tom Gage Classic, entering the meet following a Second Team All-RMAC performance in the event his last time out as he earned a fifth place finish with a career-best mark of 7.22m (23' 8.25"). His jump at the conference championships currently ranks third in program history. An NCAA Provisional mark in the event is set at 7.34m, and the top-22 is currently at 7.47m (24' 6.25").

WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD STORYLINES

• In the pole vault, both Gretchen Adamski and Lauryn Bennett have hit NCAA Provisional marks this season, as Adamski cleared a career-best 3.92m (12' 10.25") at the Mines Kit Mayer Classic to rank 21^st in NCAA Division II, and Bennett cleared a career-best 3.80m (12' 5.5") at the Jack Christiansen Invitational to rank 41^st in DII. With those respective marks, the pair rank second and sixth in Black Hills State program history. Adamski earned First Team All-RMAC recognition with a second place clearance of 3.82m (12' 6.25") at the RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
• Evie Boyd has already broken school records in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 10:29.85 and the 5,000m run with a time of 17:13.32 in the team's last trip to southern California last month. She currently ranks 13^th in the nation in the 3,000m steeplechase with her previously mentioned school record time. At the Franson Last Chance she is set to compete in the 1,500m run and the 5,000m run, where she will look to clock times of 4:28.93 for an NCAA Provisional time in the 1,500m run (4:25.68 to reach the current top-22), and 16:53.98 for an NCAA Provisional time in the 5,000m run (16:37.34 to reach the top-22).