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Influence of coaches helped create Hall of Fame careers in Avon

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Influence of coaches helped create Hall of Fame careers in Avon

Left, Jim Eacott, a three-sport athlete in the 1960s, talks with former Avon High athletic director Bob Summers, right, at the Avon high Athletic Hall of Fame banquet at the Golf Club of Avon. More photos from the banquet

It’s been years, decades, since they donned the blue and white of Avon High to represent their high school on the field.

But the lessons learned at the school, in practice and in competition still resonate today.

They were shared at the fourth annual induction ceremony of the Avon High Athletic Hall of Fame at the Golf Club of Avon in May. Six athletes, two coaches and one team were honored with induction into the Hall of Fame.

Soccer player Brian Brown, three-sport athlete Brian Dubiel, Jim Eacott, Jillian Strassner Riordan, Shara McNeil and field hockey player Tara Morris were recognized along with long-time basketball coach Jim Taft, the late Richard Hadden, who coached cross country and basketball and the 1982 Avon High wrestling team.

That 1982 wrestling team was the first one in program history to bring home a state championship. Since then, the Falcons have won another eight state titles.

Brown thanked former Avon High soccer coach Marty deLivron for sharing his passion for soccer. Brown also thanked Art and Pat Henning for their development of the Avon Youth Soccer program, which an opportunity that wasn’t available in all towns.

Shana McNeill became the third sibling from the McNeill family to be inducted into the Avon High Athletic Hall of Fame, joining her sister Kia and her brother, Ian. More photos from the banquet

Dubiel thanked current Avon High wrestling coach John McClaughlin for showing him the wrestling room instead of joining the boys swimming program.

“He came to me and said I hear you are interested in joining the swim team,” Dubiel said. “I am thankful he showed me the wrestling room of I may not be here today. “

A three-sport athlete, Dubiel also played football and lacrosse. He was a two-time Class S champion in wrestling and finished second at the State Open.

Dubiel thanked the late Jim Kearney, the father of Avon High lacrosse for recognizing his leadership ability even though Dubiel wasn’t the best player on the field.

Suzanne Gibley Lancaster shared some of the coaching philosophy of the late Richard Hadden, who led the Avon High girls cross country team to four state titles and two State Open championships in a five-year span.

She apologized for the language but spoke about the six Ps each athlete heard from Hadden each year — proper preparation prevents piss poor performances,

“It became more than a phrase,” she said. “It was a lesson carried beyond high school. He taught us that success isn’t accidental. It is earned through consistency, hard work and being ready for the moment.”

Eacott, who was the quarterback of the football team, praised his teammates for their assistance on and off the field. The Falcons went 7-1 in his senior year in 1965.

“I was going into be in the headline whether I threw a winning touchdown pass or a losing interception,” he said. “I think about the offensive line that protected me and the defense and the fact you somehow never read about the right guard who made his blocking assignments or the right tackle who picked up a blitz from an oncoming linebeacker giving me the time to spot an oncoming receiver or a secondary receiver to make me look good. A shoutout to those guys who never got the recognition on the team. That is so critical.”

Athletes that did get some recognition were on the 1982 Avon High wrestling team, who beat perennial champion Pulaski High in New Britain for the Class S championship. Pulaski had won the last three titles and five of the previous six Class S tournaments.

Bill Lohman (24-7, 185 pounds) and Eric Johansen (22-8, 167) won individual Class S state titles with David Drago (22-3-1, 105) and Randy Levesque (26-4, 155) each finishing second. Phil Foster (12-7, 145) finished third and Paul McGuiness (15-2-2, 132) took fourth. Bill Devin and Rich Hernandez (10-6-2, 138) won Northwest Conference titles.

Drago talked about the three coaches who mentored the team that season – former head coach Jack Trumbull, first-year head coach Bill Riccio and assistant coach Ken Lukasiewicz.

“I just look at the men who mentored me,” Drago said. “So many people in this community are amazing. What a great place to grow up. Think about what the coaches do, what the taxpayers do, what the school system does. This is Avon. It’s a great place to grow. It’s a great place to raise your kids.”

Photo album from the 2025 banquet

The family of Brian Brown at the Avon High Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony in May.


A little information on each of the inductees:

Brian Brown was an earned All-New England and All-American boys soccer player for the Falcons in 1989, scoring 27 goals with 19 assists as a senior. The New Haven Register named Brown the Connecticut Player of the Year. He played on three state championship teams, including the 1989 team that went 19-1 and took the Class M title. Brown played soccer at the University of Pennsylvania.

Brian Dubiel was a three-sport athlete at Avon, participating in football, wrestling and lacrosse, earning 11 varsity letters. He was a two-time All-Nutmeg League selection in football and was a two-time Class S champion in wrestling (2001, 2002). He finished second in the State Open in wrestling in 2002. He played football and wrestled at Trinity College, helping the Bantams win four straight NESAC championships in football and earning All-NESAC honors as a senior.

Jim Eacott was a three-sport athlete at Avon, playing football, basketball and running on the track and field team He was the quarterback of the football team, throwing seven touchdown passes and running for three as the Falcons went 7-1 in 1965.

In track and field, he was the Class C state champion in the mile and finished fourth at the State Open as a junior in 1965. He ran on Avon’s 4×200 yard relay that won a Class C title. As a senior in 1966, he was third in the 880-yard run at the State Open and finished fourth in New England.

Jillian Strassner Riordan participated in girls soccer, swimming and track and field at Avon. A four-year starter on the soccer team, she had 67 career goals (second-highest in school history) and 27 assists. She was a three-time All-State selection, a two-time All-New England pick and a National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCA) All-American as a senior.

In college, she played soccer at Quinnipiac University, scoring nine goals with five assists in career with three game-winning goals in 2010 as a sophomore. She was the Northeast Conference rookie of the year in 2009.

Shara McNeill played three sports at Avon – soccer, track and field and golf. She earned All-State and All-New England honors as a senior and assisted on the game-winning goal in the 2001 Class M championship game, passing the ball to her sister, Kia, who scored the goal. When she graduated, Shara was the No. 2 scorer in school history.

In college, Shara soccer for four years at Georgetown University, earning Big East All-Rookie honors in 2002. As a sophomore, she led the Hoyas in scoring with seven goals and four assists for 18 points. She will join her sister, Kia, and her brother, Ian, in the Hall of Fame.

Tara Piper Morris played field hockey and ran track and field. A two-time All-State player, Tara won four letters in field hockey. As a junior in 1990, she helped Avon earn a spot in the Class S championship game. As a senior in 1991, Tara helped the Falcons win 13 games and advance to the Class S semifinals despite getting treatment for Hodgkin’s disease, a form of lymphatic cancer.

She was a four-year letterwinner in field hockey at UConn (1992-95), twice earning All-Big East second team honors in 1994 and 1995.

Jim Taft coached the Avon boys basketball team for 26 years from 1978 through 2003, compiling a career record of 368-198. His Falcon teams won eight league championships — five pennants in the North Central Connecticut Conference and three Northwest Conference Division II titles. Jim’s 1988 squad won the first state title in program history with a 67-45 win over Windsor Locks in the Class S championship game. His teams earned spots in the CIAC state tournament in 23 of his 26 seasons.

Richard Hadden helped lead the Avon girls cross country team to four consecutive state championships and later became the principal at Litchfield High. He was a math teacher for 19 years in Avon where he was also the varsity boys basketball coach and an assistant with the boys cross country program. He coached the boys basketball team for four seasons (1974-77) and led them to two CIAC tournament berths.

He had exceptional success with the girls cross country program for five seasons (1983-87). The Falcon won five conference championships, four straight state titles and two consecutive State Open championships in 1984 and 1985. His teams had a record of 73-1. In 1986, the Falcons set a new state record for consecutive dual meet wins at 94.

Hadden was also an assistant men’s basketball coach at the Coast Guard Academy (seven seasons) and Wesleyan University (two seasons).

The 1982 Avon High wrestling team was the first wrestling team in school history to win a state championship.

The Falcons went 17-1-1 under coach Bill Riccio, won their final 12 matches of the season, captured the Northwest Conference title and won the Class S championship in New Britain over Pulaski High, 129-113. Bill Lohman (24-7, 185 pounds) and Eric Johansen (22-8, 167) won individual Class S state titles with David Drago (22-3-1, 105) and Randy Levesque (26-4, 155) each finishing second.

Photo album from the 2025 banquet


Previous induction ceremonies

2024
2023
2022



Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2025 and the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


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Phoenix Athletes Shine On Day Two At Liberty Kickoff

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LYNCHBURG – Coming home with a pair of event titles and several personal bests, the Elon University women’s track and field team wrapped up competition Friday at the Liberty Kickoff inside the Liberty Indoor Complex.
 
Isabella Johnson led the Phoenix in the shot put with a fourth-place finish. The sophomore recorded a personal-best throw of 13.99m, moving into fifth on the program’s indoor performance list. Adriana Clarke placed fifth with a personal-best toss of 13.01m.
 
On the track, Elon earned two event wins as Jasmine Young and Winter Oaster claimed titles in the 5,000 meters and the mile, respectively. Young posted a time of 17:26.66, while Oaster crossed the line in 5:10.95. Shayla Cann added a sixth-place finish in the 500 meters with a time of 1:15.63.
 
In the high jump, Hannah Schonhoff finished third after clearing 1.68 meters. Newcomer Eloise Mulready placed fifth with a clearance of 1.63 meters. In the 400 meters, Duna Viñals finished fourth with a time of 57.73 while Mary Sollars took sixth in a personal-best 58.74.
 
Caden Cerminara finished seventh in the pole vault, clearing 3.75m, while Ja’Mia Johnson placed eighth in the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with her time of 8.91.
 
ON DECK
Select members of the Phoenix distance group will compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener tomorrow, hosted at Boston University.
 

— ELON —



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Big day for Hillsdale’s throwers as Charger men kick off season at GVSU Holiday Open

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The Hillsdale College men’s track and field team got off to a strong start in the throws on Friday, kicking off the 2025-26 indoor season at the GVSU Holiday Open.

All four of Hillsdale’s season-opening provisional qualifying marks came in the shot put and weight throw at the meet, showing why the Chargers are one of the best throws programs in NCAA DII.

Leading the way was senior and defending NCAA DII weight throw national champion Ben Haas, who began his title defense by taking second overall and first among collegiate throwers in the event on Friday with a provisional qualfying throw of 21.33 meters. 

Haas was joined in setting a provisional qualifying mark in the weight throw by not one, but two teammates on Friday. Redshirt freshman Dominic Scharer had an collegiate debut to remember on Friday, opening his career with a 20.02 meter mark that makes him the just the fourth Charger in program history to break 20 meters in the weight throw. Along with Scharer, junior Dimitry Ermakov had a massive new personal best in the weight throw to earn a provisional mark in the event for the first time with a distance of 18.58 meters. That mark gives Ermakov the sixth-best weight throw mark in Hillsdale College history as well.

Along with his performance in the weight throw, Haas also started strong in the shot put, placing fourth with a throw of 17.24 meters to give himself a second provisional mark on the day. Scharer also had a notable debut in the shot put, with a top throw of 14.99 meters that gives him the eighth-best mark in program history as well.

On the track, Hillsdale had a few notable standouts. Senior Gabriel Phillips ran well against an elite field in the fastest heat of the 5,000m run, finishing ninth in a new personal best time of 14:30.62, the fourth-best mark in the event in program history. Freshman John Richardson also had a strong first collegiate 5K, finishing in a strong time of 15:02.60 for the Chargers as well, and junior Caleb Youngstedt also ran a new personal best in the 5K of 15:06.17 for Hillsdale.

Two freshmen put together impressive first races as well for the Chargers. Watson Magwenzi had a debut to remember for Hillsdale, becoming just the 11th Charger in program history to go under seven seconds in the 60m dash with a time of 6.99, and also running a solid 22.53 in his first collegiate 200. In the 400m dash, freshman Jack Polizzi also started fast for Hillsdale, placing sixth in 49.48 just ahead of teammate Zealand Tarrant, who ran a new personal best 49.77 to take ninth.  Magwenzi also was pushed in the 60 and 200 by sophomore Sam Jones, who a personal best 7.03 in the 60 and a 22.63 in the 200.

Senior Mark Masaka placed 10th (1:56.19) and freshman Wyatt Widolff placed 14th (1:57.48) in the 800m run as well for Hillsdale, and freshman Luan Kummle took 14th in the long jump (6.26 meters).

Hillsdale now heads into the Christmas break, and will pick back up in 2026 with the Al Campbell Invite hosted by the University of Akron on Jan. 16.



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Men’s Track & Field: Stefanowicz Tops Hurdles Record at M City Classic

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Macalester College men’s track & field team opened the 2026 indoor season at the M City Classic, hosted by the University of Minnesota on Friday. Senior Sebastian Stefanowicz (Portland, Ore./Valley Catholic) broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles.

Stefanowicz finished fifth in the 60-meter hurdles behind three Division I athletes and an unattached runner with a time of 8.63. The performance betters the old record of 8.68, set by John Shepard ’01 in 1999. Senior Hamza Mahamud (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) finished seventh in 9.10. Stefanowicz also placed 12th in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.15, which ranks sixth on Macalester’s all-time performance list.

In the 600 meters, seniors Henry Schonebaum (Faribault, Minn./Faribault) and Thomas Malecha (Faribault, Minn.) finished sixth and seventh, respectively. First year Aj Baehr (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) took seventh in the 400 meters (51.18) in his first collegiate race.

In the field events, first year Alex Peters (Belle Plaine, Minn./Jordan) took fourth in the shot put with a mark of 12.55 meters (41-2.25) in his first competition as a Scot. Sophomore Ataa Mensah (St. Paul, Minn./Roseville) finished fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 12.77 meters (41-10.75), followed by first year Garner Miyagawa (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) in fifth with a mark of 12.26 (40-2.75).

Macalester resumes competition in January by hosting the Vanessa Seljeskog Classic on Jan. 24 in the Leonard Center Fieldhouse.

Click here for results.

 



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Tigers Win Seven Events at Birmingham Icebreaker

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Memphis track and field opened its 2025-26 indoor season with a strong showing on Friday at the Birmingham CrossPlex, earning seven event wins—the most of any team in the field.

Gizel Clayton captured the women’s 60-meter hurdles (8.43) title for the second straight year, while Alex Bobak won the mile (4:15.97) for the first time in his career, setting a personal best in the process. Poorna Raorane also took home a victory in the shot (14.65m) put after finishing third at last year’s meet.

Courtland Noble won the 400m (48.55) making his second career victory in this event.

The Tigers recorded 10 top-five finishes, including sophomore Trinity Brown, who placed second and set a PR in the triple jump (11.91m).

Memphis athletes combined for 21 personal records, the most in a single meet since Feb. 15, 2025, at the Bulldog Open and Invite.

A full list of today’s six wins, top-five finishes and PRs can be found below. Comprehensive meet results can be found in the link above.

Tigers will be back in action in the new year, opening 2026 at the Bob Teel Invitational in Columbus, Missouri, on January 24.

Wins

Gizel Clayton, Women’s 60mH, 8.43

Alex Bobak, Men’s One Mile, 4:15.97

Poorna Raorane, Women’s Shot Put, 14.65m

Oageng Mdlela, Men’s Triple Jump, 15.16m

Kaseiana Meriweather, Women’s 200m, 24.08

Courtland Noble, Men’s 400m, 48.55

Meghan Porterfield, Women’s Weight Throw, 17.49m

Top Finishes (Top 5)

Kaseiana Meriweather, 2nd, Women’s 60m, 7.49

Destiny Jenkins, 4th, Women’s 60m, 7.55

Jazmyn James, 2nd, Women’s Shot Put, 13.88m

Meghan Porterfield, 3rd, Women’s Shot Put, 13.30m

Jean Yves Thiemble Marco, 3rd, Men’s Long Jump, 7.20m

Kouto Anyika, 4th, Men’s 300m, 33.95

Alexandra Allen, 2nd, Women’s 400m, 56.61

Judy Elful, 3rd, Women’s 400m, 56.95

Lilith Stenger, 2nd, Women’s High Jump, 1.60m

Trinity Brown, 2nd, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.91m

Tristian Robinson, 2nd, Men’s Weight Throw, 17.55m

Natalie Albert, 2nd, Women’s Weight Throw, 17.21m

Dajuan Montague, 2nd, Men’s High Jump, 2.10m

PRs

Elizabeth Markwell, Women’s 3000m, 11:10.48

Brooke Doyle, Women’s 3000m, 11:44.71

Jackson Turner, Men’s 3000m, 9:03.57

Jay Prettyman, Men’s 3000m, 9:12.56

Jagger Noel, Men’s 3000m, 9:19.46

Kaseiana Meriweather, Women’s 60m, 7.49

Destiny Jenkins, Women’s 60m, 7.55

Alex Bobak, Men’s One Mile, 4:15.97

Urko Extebeste, Men’s One Mile, 4:28.33

Resse Martin, Women’s 1000m, 3:10.96

Shantel Reed, Women’s 300m, 42.22

Kouto Anyika, Men’s 300m, 33.95

Bryson Wilson, Men’s 300m, 34.47

Jonathan Bunch Jr., Men’s 300m, 36.70

Alexandra Allen, Women’s 400m, 56.61

Lilith Stenger, Women’s High Jump, 1.60m

Trinity Brown, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.91m

Tristian Robinson, Men’s Weight Throw, 17.55m

Amri White, Men’s Weight Throw, 15.70m

Zion Smith, Women’s Long Jump, 5.15m

Dajuan Montague, Men’s High Jump, 2.10m

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Cross Country and Track & Field, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 





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Liston Breaks 5K School Record, Track & Field Starts Indoor Season Strong

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – In their first meet in 195 days, the men’s and women’s track and field teams started strong at the MSU Chuck Peterson Open and M City Classic, with Molly Liston setting a school record in the 5000-meter and multiple top-five finishes against Division I, II, and III opponents at the M City Classic. 

Head Coach Aaron Lund elected to send Liston to the Chuck Peterson Open, hosted by MSU-Mankato, with the goal of setting the school record in the 5000m, fresh off of a cross country season where she finished 41st at the NCAA Championships, just one spot away from All-American honors. It was clear that the heartbreak in Spartansburg, South Carolina fueled Liston, who crushed the previous school record of 17:30.02, set in 2006 by Kourtney Joyce, with a time of 17:11.07. The Richfield native maintained record-setting pace throughout the race, running 1000m times of 3:24.98, 3:25.29, 3:27.42, 3:29.41, and 3:23.97 to break the record. 

The other nine women for Gustavus traveled to Minneapolis to compete at the M City Classic, hosted by the University of Minnesota. Maddox Lee competed in the pentathlon for the Gusties, scoring 2455 to finish 16th, including tying a personal record in the high jump, clearing 1.44m. On the track, McKenzie Luetmer set her personal record with a time of 8.22 in the 60-meter, as the only person who ran the race for Gustavus. In the 60-meter hurdles, three Gusties advanced to the finals after qualifying in the prelims. In the finals, all three Gustavus women ran faster times than their prelim times, where sophomore Kayla Kajer set a personal record with a time of 9.64, first-year Sophia Vogel ran a time of 9.72, and sophomore Emily Podulke finished just a second slower with a time of 9.73 to finish sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Teagan Stark was the only entrant for the Gustie women in the 400-meter, running a time of 1:05.26 to finish third in the event and classmate Ella Kienitz was the only entrant in the 600-meter, crossing the finish line in a time of 1:47.79. Two Gustavus women ran in the 300-meter, with Lauren Rocheford finishing in 11th with a time of 45.13 and Podulke with a time of 46.55. Luetmer and Vogel competed in the 200-meter, completing in times of 27.53 and 28.64 respectively. In the field, first-year Kaylee Hawks and Kajer both reached heights of 1.55m, good for second at the M City Classic.  

On the men’s side, first-year Amos Anderson started the season for the Gusties, running in the 60-meter prelims, placing 36th with a time of 7.71. In the 400-meter, first-year Luke Scheel led the Gustavus contingent with a time of 52.00 to finish 10th place, followed by Cohen Stursa with a time of 52.67 and Reese Blondin with a time of 53.77. Stursa was also the only entry in the 200-meter for the Gusties, finishing in a time of 24.17 for 19th. In the field, two Gusties competed in the long jump, Ben Wynia and Logan Sandmeyer. Wynia jumped a 6.07m mark, good for ninth place and Sandmeyer leaped to a 5.91m mark, finishing 10th. Three entrants competed in the pole vault, led by first-year Anderson and sophomore Alex Palmer, both vaulting over heights of 3.90m, with senior Joe Ream just behind them with a height of 3.75m. 

Gustavus track and field takes a few weeks off now, getting back to competition on January 17th, when the team competes at the Ole Opener, hosted by St. Olaf in Northfield. 

 


 





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Mens track & field kick start their indoor season at SDSU

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BROOKINGS, S.D. — The Jimmie men opened their indoor season with a strong first showing, posting competitive marks across sprint, distance, jump, and throw events.

Avery Ligon placed 20th in the 60 meter with a time of 7.17.

Xander Rath placed 35th in the 60 meter with a time of 7.43.

Conrad P. Baard placed 30th in the 200 meter with a time of 24.04, and 16th in the 400 meter with a time of 57.18.

Andrew Rexin placed 35th in the 200 meter with a time of 24.85, and 18th in the 400 meter with a time of 59.02.

Cael Church placed 15th in the 300 meter with a time of 37.43, and 12th in the 600 meter with a time of 1:26.90.

Clark Lortscher placed 5th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 8:57.81.

Cole Campbell placed 7th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:01.75.

Noah Sayler placed 10th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:16.42.

Aaron Devine placed 12th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:19.37.

Lucas Dahl placed 13th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:20.35.

Braeden Kinzler placed 14th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:22.51.

Payton Mukkada placed 15th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:22.69.

Gavyn Graham placed 18th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:37.02.

Adam Sobolik placed 19th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:38.14.

Landon Thompson placed 20th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:47.66.

Samuel Sampers placed 21st in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:50.89.

Kadin Marshall placed 24th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:59.83.

Liam Pospisil placed 25th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 10:26.49.

Ethan Duval placed 3rd in the High Jump at 2.00m (6’6.75″), a PR.

Riley Johnson placed 10th in the High Jump at 1.80m (5’10.75″).

Trevor Waldo placed 17th in the Long Jump at 6.02m (19’9″).

Jayden Bittner placed 20th in the Long Jump at 5.75m (18’10.5″).

Brady Crabtree placed 14th in Pole Vault at 4.25m (13’11.25″), a PR.

Evan Schmit placed 11th in Shot Put at 14.59m (47’10.5″) and 20th in Weight Throw at 13.88m (45’6.5″), a PR.

Jobe Rystedt placed 16th in Shot Put at 13.56m (44’6″) and 26th in Weight Throw at 12.11m (39’8.75″).

WHATS NEXT?

The Jimmies return to action on Thursday, 11 December, competing at the Dakota Alumni Classic hosted by NDSU in Fargo, N.D.

 



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