NDSU Bison Open Results (Throws/Vaults)
USD Hillenbrand Open Results (Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps/Distance)

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Northern State University indoor track and field team split its squad between two different meets this weekend, sending their throwers and vaulters to the North Dakota State University Bison Open on Friday, while the majority of the team participated in the 2-day USD Hillenbrand Open in Vermillion, S.D.  The Wolves came away from both meets with several strong performances, particularly in the field events.

NSU junior Amanda Madden, the reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week, continued her season-long winning streak with a first place finish in the weight throw.  Winning her fourth meet of the season, Madden again broke the 56-foot threshold with a mark of 56-4.75 feet (17.19 meters).

Madden and teammates Melodi Boke and Katie Smith all finished in the top nine of the women's shot put.  Boke was fourth in that event, followed by Madden in sixth and Smith in ninth.

On the men's side, redshirt freshman Cody Hunt saw his season-long win streak come to an end in the men's shot put, finishing second with a mark of 15.43 meters (50-7.5 feet).  Hunt got off a would-be winning throw, but fouled the attempt.

In the men's pole vault, Ross Pfeifle and Wade Royer finished fifth and tied for eighth, respectively.  Pfeifle cleared 15-5 (4.65 meters), while Royer tied his indoor best with a vault of 14-9 (4.50 meters).

NSU sophomore Calvin McGruder improved his all-time career best in the long jump at the USD Open.  McGruder finished second in that event with a leap of 22-9.25 feet (6.94 meters).  That mark was just two and a half inches back of the first place effort.

The Wolves also six relay squads that finished in the top-10 in what turned out to be a 25-team meet.  The women's 4x200 relay squad of Marisa Aldinger, Emily Fritz, Maria Franker and Andrea Sjomeling finished fifth, while the 4x400 meter team of Sjomeling, Fritz, Caitlin Bjerke and Tanya Vassar was eighth.

Bjerke also teamed with Toni Fritz and Michelle and Danielle Nickolas to finish fifth in the women's distance medley relay.

On the men's side, the 4x200-meter team of Zak Kjolsing, Augustus Capers, Matt Greenfield and Mike Merkel finished in sixth place.  Joey Heglund, Trevor Steen, Matt Peterson and Bill Cameron put together an eighth place finish in the meet-ending 4x400-meter relay, while Peterso, along with Brock Rose, Richard Keroack and Josh Schmeichel finished fifth in the men's DMR.

The Wolves will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 14 in the first of three straight days of home competition.  NSU will host its annual NSU Open on Saturday before hosting two days of the NSIC Multi Events on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 15-16.