Pasiowitz, Benke, Distance Medley Relay Shine for Bison Women at Pair of Meets

Friday, February 5

Colorado Springs, Colo.

4 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

Air Force Team Challenge

Taylor Janssen, Morgan Milbrath, Amy Andrushko, Erin Teschuk

Pasiowitz, Benke, Distance Medley Relay Shine for Bison Women at Pair of Meets

2/5/2016 10:49:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

NDSU Track & Field on Twitter
Results - Air Force

USAF Academy, Colo. – The North Dakota State women's track & field team competed at a pair of meets on Friday evening, and the Bison posted multiple performances that climbed the national lists and altered the school's record books.

At the Armory Track Invitational in New York City, the NDSU distance medley relay team of Taylor Janssen, Morgan Milbrath, Amy Andrushko and Erin Teschuk ran 11:15.89 to win the meet by 10 seconds. It was the second-fastest distance medley relay in NDSU history, and the Bison women are now ranked seventh in the NCAA this year in the event.

The majority of the Bison women competed at the Air Force Team Challenge at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. Despite sending several of its top runners to New York and holding other athletes out of competition, NDSU finished second in the team standings – just one point behind team champion South Dakota, 131-130.

Six days after breaking the NDSU school record in the shot put at Minnesota, sophomore thrower Courtney Pasiowitz posted the top mark in school history in the weight throw. The Coon Rapids, Minn., native threw 64-11.50 (19.80m) in the weight throw, setting a new personal-best by 22 inches.

She now ranks 26th in the NCAA in the weight throw this season, in addition to her No. 19 national ranking in the shot put. Pasiowitz also won the shot put title on Friday evening, throwing 52-08.25 (16.06m).

Three Bison women set new personal-bests in the pole vault at Air Force on Friday.

NDSU senior Anna Benke continued her breakout season, posting another new personal-best of 13-07.25 (4.15m) in the pole vault to tie for 18th in the nation this season. Bison senior Brittany Stangl cleared a career-best 13-03.50 (4.05m) to tie for third in NDSU history and rank among the top 50 in the NCAA this year.

Freshman Klara Lyon (Piedmont, S.D.) now ranks fifth all-time at NDSU in the pole vault after clearing 12-07.50 (3.85m).

"We saw a lot of promising things today," said NDSU women's head coach Stevie Keller. "Courtney and our group of throwers continue to be very impressive with their personal-bests nearly every week. (Assistant coach) Justin St. Clair has done a tremendous job with them."

"Our pole vaulters had another great meet, once again," said Keller. "Anna Benke has put herself in the same conversation as some of the top vaulters in the NCAA. Across the board, (assistant coach) Daniel Gooris has the vaulters going great right now."

Freshman Dakota Wood (Hazen, N.D.) ran 8.76 seconds in 60m hurdles prelims, tying her for fifth on the NDSU all-time list. She clocked 8.85 in the final for fourth place in the meet.

Freshman Shelby Gunnells (Solon, Iowa) posted a mark of 48-02.75 (14.70m) in the shot put, taking third in the meet and moving up to eighth in NDSU history.

Jordyn Thornton (58-08.75 / 17.90m) and Kelsey Laufenberg (58-05.25 / 17.81m) both recorded career bests in the weight throw. They rank seventh and eighth, respectively, in the NDSU record books.

Melissa Kitching ran 56.16 and Alexis Woods clocked 56.47 to finish first and second in the 400m for NDSU. The Bison women also swept the top two spots in the 800m at Air Force with Jenny Guibert (2:15.60) and Ann Govig (2:18.17).

NDSU junior Katelyn Weimerskirch finished third in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put.

Junior Allie Lahren placed third in the long jump (18-04.50 / 5.60m). In the mile, NDSU's Brittany Brownotter took fourth and Darian Winslow was sixth.

Govig cleared a season-best 5-05.00 (1.65m) in the high jump for fifth place. Sophomore Deidre Hahn placed sixth in both the 60m dash (7.84) and 200m dash (25.65).