From VCSU Athletics
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – Valley City State freshmen Luis Garcia and Kendra Odegard both won event titles Saturday as the Viking track and field team competed at the Al Bortke Open hosted by University of Mary.
Garcia edged teammate Noah Rolfe by a half second to win the men’s 800 meters, while Odegard won the women’s javelin at her third straight meet to start the 2022 outdoor season.
Valley City State’s men finished fifth out of seven teams at the event, racking up 52 team points. The Viking women scored 33 points as they finished sixth out of seven teams.
VCSU’s men scored 18 of their points in the 800 meters as Garcia and Rolfe went 1-2 in the event. Both ran career-best times to finish at the top of the 13-person field. Garcia crossed the line in 2:00.62, while Rolfe was second at 2:01.10. Rolfe also ran the 1500 meters on Saturday, placing fourth with a career-best time of 4:06.11.
Clay Kummer had a strong day in the men’s hurdles events, placing fourth in the both the 110 and 400 hurdles. He set a new personal record with his time of 15.77 in the 110 hurdles. Zachary Co added a pair of Top 4 finishes in the throwing events, placing second in shot put (16.20 meters) and fourth in the hammer throw (50.74 meters). Co’s shot put mark is his best of the 2022 outdoor season and ranks him 9th in the nation.
On the women’s side of the meet, Odegard won her third straight title in the javelin competition. Her top throw of 40.41 meters on Saturday was 10 feet better than the second-place finisher. Odegard currently ranks eighth in the nation.
Brooke Malsom had a pair of Top 5 finishes in the sprinting events Saturday and bested her own school record in the 200 meters. Malsom finished the 200 in second place, crossing the line in a time of 25.25 seconds. That is .05 seconds faster than the school record she set last season. In the 200 meters, Malsom placed fifth with a time of 12.49 seconds.
Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to compete at meets Thursday and Friday in Jamestown and Dickinson, but those meets will likely be canceled with a significant winter storm expected to hit the region.
Al Bortke Open at University of Mary
April 9, 2022
VCSU Men Top 8 Results
800 Meters: 1. Luis Garcia, 2:00.62; 2. Noah Rolfe, 2:01.10
1500 Meters: 4. Noah Rolfe, 4:06.11
5000 Meters: 7. Alex Benner, 17:51.24
110 Hurdles: 4. Clay Kummer, 15.77
400 Hurdles: 4. Clay Kummer, 1:01.65
High Jump: 5. Jayden Gerringer, 1.80 meters
Shot put: 2. Zachary Co, 16.20 meters
Hammer Throw: 4. Zachary Co, 50.74 meters
VCSU Women – Top 8 Results
100 Meters: 5. Brooke Malsom, 12.49
200 Meters: 2. Brooke Malsom, 25.25
5000 Meters: 4. Karly Just, 21:14.52
Long jump: 7. Brooke Malsom, 5.33 meters
Hammer throw: 7. Hannah Gordon, 44.63 meters
Javelin: 1. Kendra Odegard, 40.41 meters