GENEVA, Ohio — The UW-River Falls track and field program opened up day one of the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with three Falcons competing for River Falls.

Annika Gunderson led the way in the women's pole vault, taking home second-team All-American honors with a season-best jump. After day one of the men's decathlon, Jacob Balcome and Joe Guthrie rank sixth and 11th in the combined standings.

Annika Gunderson

• Junior Annika Gunderson took home a 10th-place finish in the women's pole vault, clearing 3.85 meters (12-7.5). The clearance is a season-best mark for Gunderson, across both indoor and outdoor track.
• Gunderson cleared both 3.60 meters and 3.75 meters on her first attempts. At 3.85 meters, the Forest Lake, Minnesota native cleared the height on her third and final attempt, moving into the top 10 and securing second-team All-American honors.
• Gunderson's performance at today's NCAA Outdoor Championships marked her third straight qualification to the outdoor championships, and her sixth career national championship appearance across indoor and outdoor track.

Jacob Balcome

• Jacob Balcome, a sophomore from Alexandria, Minnesota, started off the day with a time of 11.33 in the decathlon 100 meters, placing 11th.
• In the long jump, Balcome jumped 6.51 meters (21-4.24) ro place 12th in the field.
• Balcome saw his best finish of the day in the shot put, placing second with a throw of 12.45 meters (40-10.25). The throw is a new career best.
• In the high jump, Balcome leaped 1.82 meters (5-11.5) to place ninth.
• Balcome rounded out the day with a 10th-place finish in the 400 meters, clocking in at 51.24.

Joe Guthrie

• Freshman Joe Guthrie started off the men's decathlon with a time of 11.68 in the 100 meters, placing 21st.
• Guthrie placed 15th in the long jump, leaping 6.35 meters (20-10).
• In shot put, Guthrie placed 16th with a throw of 10.29 meters (33-9.75).
• Guthrie was stellar in the high jump, leaping 1.94 meters (6-4.25) to place second. The mark is an outdoor career best.The day ended for Guthrie with an eighth-place finish in the 400 meters, finishing at 50.96.

Up Next
The Falcons will continue competition at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor National Championships tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m. ET. Balcome and Guthrie will conclude the men's decathlon, while Yaih Marial will compete in the men's high jump at 2 p.m. ET.