Senior Bryan Dunn, who is Wayne State’s thrower to watch in the NCIC this year, posted a NCAA provisional mark in the weight throw, with a toss of 60’ 6 1/2” to lead the Wildcats last weekend.
Dunn’s good performance helped kick start the indoor track and field season for WSC men’s and women’s team at the South Dakota State Holiday Open.
“Individually, I was very happy with Bryan Dunn, hitting an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark and an improvement by almost 3’ over where he finished the season at last year. I think he is on pace to have an outstanding senior season,” head coach Marlon Brink said.
Nick Schmit recorded a second-place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.10. Freshman Robert Sullivan tied for third-place in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6’6”. Junior Josh Spenner finished fourth for the Wildcats in the pole vault and was fifth in the heptathlon.
Brady Metz also had a lifetime best mark in the triple jump with 46’ 6 3/4”, which is just a few inches shy of the NCAA provisional mark.
“It’s almost 2’ better than he jumped last year during the indoor season,” Brink said. “He has made some big improvements in both his speed and strength.”
Sophomore Braxton Adams came in fourth and eighth in the 60-meter run and the 200-meter run, respectively.
“Braxton ran a solid race in the 60-meter dash finishing in 6.94 seconds,” Brink said. “He is also slightly ahead of where he was at last year, and just .04 seconds off the NCAA Provisional mark.”
Ninth-place finishes for the ‘Cats went to Clay Kramper in the 200, Nate Lechtenberg in the 300-meter hurdles and Jayle Hinkle in the shotput.
Senior Kyndra Sturm set a NCAA provisional mark in the weight throw with a toss of 54’1/2”.
Other top finishers for the Wildcats were Melissa Kroll, who placed third in the 800-meter run, and senior Ellen Wulf, who came in fourth in the pentathlon. The 4×4 team of Mary Alderson, Rachel Rauner, Kroll and Kelsey Dietrich came in seventh with a time of 4:10.75.
“I was pleased with where we are at for our first meet of the season, especially considering the fact that we are a very young team,” Brink said. “There was quite a bit of tough competition from DI teams – University of Northern Iowa, Drake University, University of North Dakota, host SDSU, and DII NSIC rivals, Northern State, Augustana University, St. Cloud State, so it shows our team that we have room to continue to work and improve.”
Wayne State will compete again at the South Dakota Invitational on Jan. 18.