SUPERIOR, Wis. – True, the Yellowjacket women's track and field team did compete in an event in December, but usually, the first meet at UW-Superior, the Twin Ports Open, signals the start to the indoor season.
 
That meet came on Saturday, as teams descended on the Lydia Thering Fieldhouse in the Marcovich Wellness Center.
 
The Yellowjackets had a number of strong performances on the day, led by Summer Hesseldahl (International Falls, Minn./Falls), who won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 10.01 seconds. The time established a new personal record for Hesseldahl.
 
Another first-place finish came courtesy of Bel Dimaze (Monticello, Minn./Spectrum), who won the high jump with a mark of 1.51 meters. She narrowly bested another Yellowjacket freshman, Riley Toivonen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids), who placed second with a mark of 1.26 meters.
 
Meet Notes

• The distance crew once again had a strong day for the Yellowjackets. In the mile, Simone Stephens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) placed third with a time of 5:21.50. The time established a new season best. Halle Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior) also placed in the top ten with a time of 6:08.04.
• It was even better in the 3,000 meters, where the Yellowjackets had two finishers in the top three. Cora Hudella (North Branch, Minn./North Branch) placed second with a time of 11:18.79, putting her just in front of teammate Tea Boerner (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna), who finished in 11:21.30. Kenzy Kreuzer (Stoddard, Wis./De Soto) earned a person record in the event with a time of 13:44.77.
• The 4-x-400-meter relay team placed third with a time of 4:55.35.
• In the pole vault Kayela Putnam (Stephenson, Mich./Stephenson) placed third with a mark of 2.55 meters. Teammates Keira Hesseldahl (International Falls, Minn./Falls) and McKenna Nash (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) finished tied for fourth place with a mark of 2.25 meters.
• Summer Hesseldahl (International Falls, Minn./Falls) finished fourth in the long jump with a mark of 4.79 meters. Grace Nonnemacher (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) set a personal record of 4.46 meters, placing sixth.
• Sydney Cox (Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors) set a personal record in the weight throw with a heave of 10.20 meters.
• In total, the Yellowjackets posted 11 personal records and six season bests.
• Other teams competing Saturday included College of St. Scholastica, University of Minnesota Duluth, Bemidji State University and Lakehead University out of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The Yellowjackets will be back in action Saturday, Jan. 25 when they travel to Collegeville, Minn. to compete in the Saint John's Invitational.