CEDAR FALLS – UNI picked up 21 first-place finishes and 54 top-three finishes as they knocked off the rust Saturday at the Panther Open at the UNI-Dome, the first track and field event since the MVC Indoor Championship last Feb at the UNI-Dome.
The meet was one of the first events of the season so several Panthers jumped into the top-10 of the NCAA rankings. UNI is the first MVC team to compete this season so they hold all of the top spots in the league standings.
Tayshaun Cooper took the title in the 60-meter dash and is currently ranked eighth in the NCAA with a time of 6.84. Isaiah Trousil won the 200-meter dash and is ranked third in the NCAA with a time of 21.39. Freshman Karson Kleve finished third in the 800 but is ranked eighth in the NCAA. In the men’s field events, Darius King is ranked third in the shot put after hitting 19.13-meters in his first outing.
On the women’s side, freshman Libby Wedewer is ranked sixth in the nation after taking the title in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.19. Allison Hilleman is ranked sixth in the NCAA after taking the title in the 400-meter dash. Sophia Jungling is ranked second in the 800-meter run after winning with a time of 2:15.34. McKayla Cole and Paige Holub are both in the NCAA Top-10 in the mile after going 1-2 in the event.
The Panthers are back in action at the Bison Team Cup in Fargo, N.D. on Jan. 16.
