YANKTON, S.D. -- If North Dakota was eligible for the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championship this season, sophomore Roman Waldera just might have punched his own ticket today.
While UND is not yet eligible, Waldera can at least take pride in having logged one of the top discus throws in the region this season. The Minot, N.D., native registered a throw of 176 feet, 10 inches, today at the USD/SDSU double dual, shattering his personal record by more than 20 feet.
It was also the top men's discus throw in the Great West Conference this season and one of nine personal records established by UND's men's throwers on the day.
Waldera also won the hammer throw with a heave of 169 feet, while teammate Jakob Bissell (So., Plymouth, N.H.) was right behind in second place at 167 feet, 7 inches.
One of the most surprising PRs came from sophomore Alex Hickel (Grand Forks, N.D.), who finished second in the javelin despite competing in the event for just the second time this season. Hickel's top throw checked in at 183 feet, 10 inches.
UND's throwers weren't the only Sioux who made their mark today.
Sophomore Jesse Fenstermacher (Hibbing, Minn.) and senior Tyler Rose (Brainerd, Minn.) finished second and fourth, respectively, in the 800-meters. Fenstermacher boasted a time of 1:55.39, while Rose clocked in at 1:57.15.
Sophomore Jordan Fisk (Langdon, N.D.) established a personal record and placed third in the pole vault, recording a leap of 14 feet, 7 1/4 inches. Teammate Matthew Harris (So., Sidney, Mont.) was right behind in fourth place with a vault of 14 feet, 1 1/4 inches.
UND returns to action April 14 at the Bison Classic in Fargo.
