Track and field competes in the Vikings Olympics

The team faced off in the individual meet in Sioux Falls on Saturday

Brady Olson
Staff Writer

The Minnesota State Mavericks track & field team competed at the Vikings Olympics Saturday, March 30. 

A select number of athletes from each of the men’s and women’s track & field team competed at the event.

On the women’s side, sophomore thrower Kaylee Jensen finished third with a throw of 43.96 meters (144-03). Jensen also competed in the hammer throw where she won the event with a throw of 50.69 meters (166-04).

Senior thrower Sola Stephenson and junior Jessika Dieringer both competed in the Javelin throw and took the first and second spots in the event. Stephenson threw a 37.10 meter toss and Dieringer threw a 36.74 meter throw to come in a close second.

“This meet was a good season opener for the season. It was nice to get some marks just to see where I am at moving into the season,” said Stephenson after the event.

Senior thrower Heather Buckler finished second in the shot put with a throw of 13.19 meters (43-03.25).

On the men’s side, senior thrower Jayme LaPlante hit a provisional qualifying mark in the discuss with a throw of 51.03 meters. 

Senior thrower Connor McCormick finished fourth in the hammer throw with a toss of 52.82 meters.

While in the Javelin, freshman Thomas Kircher placed fifth with a throw of 40.92. 

“The weather was a bit chilly and we had some wind to deal with,” said Stephenson. “I am very excited about the rest of the season and what this year holds.”

Recently, the NSIC outdoor track and field preseason poll ranked the women’s MSU team to finish second while the men’s team is seeded to finish first.

The Mavericks will next compete in their next meet in Pella, Iowa at the Dutch Invitational and the South Dakota Challenge in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Header photo by Mansoor Ahmad | MSU Reporter.