LA CROSSE, Wis./MANKATO, Minn. – It's been a busy week for the Yellowjacket women's track and field team. Friday, a pair of Yellowjackets competed in the heptathlon at UW-La Crosse's Phil Esten Challenge. They continued their events as the meet moved into its second day Friday, and while they were in La Crosse, the rest of the Yellowjackets were competing at the MSU-Mankato Invitational.
 
Bel Dimaze (Monticello, Minn./Spectrum) and Riley Toivonen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) completed their second day of competition at the Phil Esten Challenge in the heptathlon Friday. Dimaze held her spot after the first day and finished 16th, while Toivonen dropped one spot, placing 18th.
 
There were three events Friday – long jump, javelin throw and 800 meter run. Dimaze placed 16th in the long jump with a mark of 4.59 meters, while Toivonen was 18th with a mark of 3.98 meters. Toivonen had a solid performance in the javelin throw, finishing with a heave of 25.06 meters, which put her in 12th place. Dimaze was 14th with a mark of 22.33 meters. In the 800, Dimaze finished with a time of 2:58.48, while Toivonen finished in 3:22.97.
 
Dimaze set new personal records in both the javelin and 800, while Toivonen set two monster personal records. Toivonen shaved over 13 seconds off her previous best in the 800, while adding more than three meters to her best in the javelin.
 
One of the bigger events in the region, the MSU-Mankato Invitational hosted 14 teams across NCAA Divisions I, II and III. The Yellowjackets had a strong showing in Mankato Friday, finishing the day in ninth place.
 
The Yellowjacket distance crew had an impressive showing Friday, particularly in the 5,000 meters. Leading the way was Halle Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior), who placed fifth with a time of 19:15.73. She was the top finisher among all NCAA Division III competitors. Barker finished 30 seconds ahead of the sixth-place runner, who just happened to be teammate Cora Hudella (North Branch, Minn./North Branch).
 
Simone Stephens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) also had a good day, earning a top ten finish in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:52.82.

Meet Notes

• In the 5,000 meters, the Yellowjackets, led by Barker, occupied places five through eight.
• Hudella came in with a time of 19:46.79 in her sixth-place finish. She was just over a second ahead of Tea Boerner (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna), who finished seventh with a time of 19:47.98.
• Lilley Smith (Ironwood, Mich./Ironwood) finished eighth with a time of 19:54.88. The time marked a new personal record for Smith.
• Scarlett Vanderscheuren (Saginaw, Minn./South Ridge) set a new personal record in the 1,500 meters with a time of 5:36.50, which placed her 26th.
• In total, the Yellowjackets established six new personal records and two new season bests.

The Yellowjackets will return to action Thursday, April 24 when they compete at the Rider/Bolstorff Invite at Macalester College.