AMES, Iowa (KELO.com) —South Dakota junior Abby Ripperda broke the 5,000-meter program record on Friday night at the Iowa State Classic inside the Lied Center.
Ripperda clocked a blistering 16 minutes, 26.68 seconds, to finish ninth in the invitational 5,000 meters. She broke alumna Megan Billington’s record of 16:30.19 from last season. The time is a 23-second personal best.
In the distance carnival on Friday night, junior Jonna Bart and Kianna Stewart also posted personal bests in the 3,000 meters. Bart finished third in 9:44.89, while Stewart clocked 9:50.84.
The Coyotes swept the women’s and men’s 60 meters on Friday. Senior Tasheka Gordon won in 7.71 seconds while classmate Samara Spencer finished fifth in 7.87 seconds. Freshman Dylan Kautz captured the men’s race in 6.85 seconds.
Senior Chris Nilsen finished runner-up in the men’s pole vault to Baylor sophomore KC Lightfoot. Nilsen jumped 18-6 ¾. Redshirt-junior Ethan Bray vaulted 16-11 to tie for fourth. The pair jumped indoor bests of 19-1 and 18-1, respectively, last weekend.
The Coyotes added a pair of top-five finishes in the weight throw.
Senior Emilee Shostrom placed fourth in the women’s weight throw with a distance of 58-10.
Junior Matt Slagus took fifth in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 59-8 ½.
South Dakota returns to action at noon Saturday at the Iowa State Classic.
(Source: University of South Dakota athletics department.)
