MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The UW-River Falls men's and women's track & field teams competed at the University of Minnesota's Running on Hope Invitational Wednesday.
The meet served as the Falcons' final tune up before next weekends WIAC Outdoor Championships, to be held in Whitewater, Wis.
The men's newcomers shined for the Falcons, led by
Isaiah O'Connor, who broke the UWRF men's outdoor long jump program record with a mark of 7.09 meters (23 feet, 3.25 inches) to win the event. He broke Devin Vorachith's mark of 6.98 meters set in 2019.
Fellow freshman jumper
Yaih Marial won the high jump with a mark of 2.08 meters (6'9.75"), and outdoor personal best and the second-best outdoor high jump in UWRF history.
Sprinters
Kemarri Stewart and
Christian Doumbia headlined the sprints as they both continued to climb in the UWRF top-10 lists. Stewart set a PR in the 100-meter dash prelims with a time of 10.67, the second-fastest time in program history, and followed up with another strong time in the finals, clocking a time of 10.68 to place third. Stewart and Doumbia then placed seventh and 10th, respectively, in the 200-meter dash with times of 21.73 and 21.88, both program top-10 times.
Additionally,
Matt Boche set a PR in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.64,
Logan Munson finished third of 51 in the 800-meter run, finishing only behind D1 competition with a time of 1:55.56. PR nearly cracking the top-10 list,
Laden Nerison had a PR in the triple jump, finishing third of 12 with a mark of 13.49 meters (44-3.25), and
Alex VanGundy set a personal best javelin throw at 49.92 meters (163'9"), placing fourth of 14.
On the women's side,
Maddie Greelis set a PR in the 5,000-meter run, finishing at 19:42.5 to take ninth of 16.
Cailyn Kuechle took seventh of 30 in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:22.07 and
Annika Gunderson tied for fifth of 11 in the pole vault with a mark of 3.26 meters.
During day one of the Drake Relays women's heptathlon in Des Moines, Iowa,
Lexi LeFever totaled 2,843 points and currently sits in ninth place out of 19 competitors. Her best finish during the first of two days of competition came during the 200-meter dash as her time of 25.17 was good for fifth place, collecting 871 points. She wraps up the heptathlon tomorrow taking part in the long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run.
