LONG BEACH, Calif. — South Dakota junior Lara Boman became the first Coyote to launch the hammer past the 200-foot barrier at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate on Thursday held on Jack Rose Track. Sophomore Chris Nilsen was the lone Coyote to win an event Thursday, taking home gold in the pole vault.
Boman launched the hammer 201 feet, 11 inches, for a seven-foot personal best that ranks her 22nd in the NCAA this season. The former soccer player broke the school record in the event earlier this season and has now thrown 10 feet further than any other Coyote in program history. Boman took third place in the competition. It was a Dakotas showdown in southern California as Boman finished behind throwers from North Dakota and North Dakota State.
Entering the competition with the top mark in the NCAA this season, Nilsen stood up to the task by winning the pole vault in 18-6 1/2. Nilsen holds the meet record of 18-8 1/4, set last season. He was followed by sophomore teammate Ethan Bray in second with a clearance of 17-1.
Sophomore Samara Spencer leaped an outdoor best of 19-6 in the long jump for third place. The All-American long jumper holds USD’s indoor record in the event with a mark of 21-1 1/4. Spencer also took ninth in the 100 meters.
Launching a personal best for the second week in a row, junior Ben Hammer took third in the discus with a throw of 190-7. The mark is six feet past his career best throw from last week at the South Dakota Invitational. Hammer also finished 10th in the shot put less than three hours later.
Junior Deshonn Brown and sophomore Zack Anderson took third and fifth, respectively, in the high jump. Brown cleared 6-9 1/2 while Anderson made 6-7 1/2.
Jumping into a headwind, senior Ashely Thompson Ballew leaped 40-0 to take fifth place in the triple jump. Sophomore Britny Kerr was a half-inch behind with a personal best of 39-11 1/2 for sixth.
Senior Brooke Ireland placed fifth in the 400 meters with a time of 56.58 seconds.
Sophomore Tasheka Gordon clocked 12.03 seconds for fifth place in the 100 meters.
Thursday kicks off a busy weekend of track and field for the Coyotes. South Dakota is at a series of meets in California (Mt. SAC Relays, Pacific Beach Intercollegiate and Beach Invitational) the next three days. The Coyotes will also send athletes to Northwestern’s Red Raider Open in Iowa this weekend.
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