Brady Metz won the triple jump this weekend and Michaela Dendinger was first in the weight throw at meets in different states.

Metz earned a first place with a mark of 46’11½’’ at the Husker Tune Up meet in Lincoln on Friday and Saturday. This comes just a week after he tied the school record in that event. It was the fourth time Metz has won triple jump.

On Friday, Dendinger won the weight throw at the USD Last Chance Invite in Vermillion, S.D., with a mark of 59’. She was also second in the shot put (46’5¼’’).

Altogether, WSC athletes competed at the Husker Tune Up, USD Last Chance Invite and the MINES Joe Davies Classic in Golden, Colo.

“This week was about making final preparations going into conference,” Head Coach Marlon Brink said. “For some people, it was getting a qualifying mark for nationals and others it was getting a competitive mark in for conference.”

Antoine Bardou was 11th in the mile (4:27.07) at the MINES Joe Davies Classic, and at the Husker Tune Up, Nick Schmidt was 12th in the 800-meter (1:59.78) and Josh Spenner was eighth in the pole vault (14’10 ¼’’).

For the men at USD, Habib Jallow was second in the 400-meter (52.71), Travis Eller was third in the 400-meter (53.18), Kak Ayaj was thind in the 800-meter (2:00.71), Jordan Zautke was third in the 200-meter (23.49), Alvyns Alcenord was third in the 60-meter (7.09) and Braxton Adams was fourth in the 60-meter (7.10).

In the weight throw Matt Nemec was fourth (53’5 ¾’’) and Cade Kalkowski was fifth (52’11 ½’’). Jayle Hinkle was fifth in the shot put (44’11’’).

For the women at USD, Mary Alderson was third in the 400-meter (1:00.32), Melissa Kroll was fourth in the 400-meter (1:01.24), Shelby Poell was 3rd in the high jump (4’11’’), Tessa Ives was third in the weight throw (49’6 ¼’’) and Tia Jones was fifth in the shot put (41’8 ½’’).

“The last week before conference can be a little tricky,” Brink said. “You want to stay in peak shape, but also the right frame of mind.”

The Wildcats will head to Mankato for the NSIC Championships this Friday and Saturday. Last year the men finished eighth out of 11 teams and the women were 12th out of 14 teams.

“The men could be as high as top four this year,” Brink said. “But we need to perform. Overall, we are much better than last year. For the women, Michaela has the best shot at doing well.”

Finishers in the top eight score points. Currently, Wildcats in the top eight of their event are Bardou (800-meter, 1,000-meter and mile), Robert Sullivan (long jump, high jump and 60-meter hurdles), Metz (triple jump), Derek Lahm (long jump and triple jump), Spenner (pole vault), Adams (60-meter), and Dendinger (weight throw and shot put).

The WSC men already have 16 big points from Sullivan and Lahm in the heptathlon championships two weeks ago.

“There will be great competition,” Brink said. “It is the most intense meet all season.”