Mankato, Minn. --- Through one day of competition, the Minnesota State men's track and field program holds the top spot in team points following impressive performances all around.

The Mavericks started off the day on the right foot by sweeping the top four spots in the high jump. Jeff DeCock(Lamberton, Minn.) earned a quick ten points as he secured the high jump crown with a top jump of 6'9.75". Placing second was Anyah Nutter (San Diego, Calif.) (6'8''). He was followed by Alex Campbell (Ellsworth, Wis.) (6'8'') in third and Frank Veldman (Eagan, Minn.) in fourth (6'8''). These four gained a valuable 29 team points.

Campbell (Ellsworth, Wis.) earned third in the long jump with a leap of 23'00.50". Placing fifth in the weight throw was Bryan Caffin(Hudson, Wis.) with a toss of 55'04.75''.

Rounding out the completed events, the distance medley relay team, consisting of Brendan Gessner(Lino Lakes, Minn), Michael Hoff(Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Joe Williams (St. Paul, Minn.) and Austin Pasch (Tomah, Wis.) finished 1st with a time of 10:23.26.

The preliminary rounds saw numerous Mavericks fight their way into the final round as well.

Myles Hunter (Conyers, Ga.) posted the best time in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.76. He also becomes the new record-holder of the NSIC Championship meet in the event. Ben Ojika, and Nutter (San Diego, Calif.) will join Hunter in the final round tomorrow afternoon.

Three Mavericks will also take part in the final running of the 60-meter dash. Jake Gourley (Eagan, Minn.) set a new personal best time of 6.79. He's followed by Kyran Stewart (Camilla, Ga.) and Richard Wilhite, Jr. (Minneapolis, Minn.). The same trio of Stewart (21.64), Wilhite (22.12), and Gourley (22.17) will be making a trip to finals in the 200-meter dash. They will be joined by Ryan Immeker (Brandon, S.D.) (22.44) and Jack Curtis(Lombard, Ill) (22.53). Five of the eight participants in the finals of the 200-meter dash will be Mavericks.  

Two Mavericks will be going to the final in the 400-meter dash. Javontee Brice (Bradenton, Fla.) placed fifth (50.55) and Reid Diamond (San Antonio, Tex.) placed eighth (50.50). John Schuster (Wells, Minn.) finished the 600-meters in 1:24.15 which puts him in the final eight. Derek Finsterwalder (La Crosse, Wis.) will be running tomorrow as he qualified for finals in the 800-meter run (1:59.42).

The Mavericks will be sending three athletes to the final in the 1000-meter run, Brennan Holman(Sacramento, Calif.), Gessner, and Hoff. The 1 mile run had Pasch qualify for the finals with a time of 4:23.11.

Day one concluded with the Mavericks sitting in first-place as a team with 67.20 total team points. The University of Sioux Falls is in second with 41 total team points.

Full results through today can be viewed HERE.
 
The championships will wrap up tomorrow afternoon with events set to begin at 10 a.m., in Myers Field House.