EMPORIA, Kan. – Starting outdoor track and field season in style, junior Miranda Lauvstad (Nesoeya, Norway) eclipsed the Minnesota State school record at the ESU Relays Friday with a second place finish in heptathlon and a score of 5,529 (first in Division II this season, 29^th in Division II history). Lauvstad surpassed current teammate Victoriia Ermolaeva for the record. Ermolaeva scored 5,148 at last season's NCAA Division II Championships.
 
Lauvstad's performance capped a positive start to outdoor season for Minnesota State men's and women's track and field, which competed at the ESU Relays (Multi) in Emporia, Kansas and the Wildcat Outdoor Classic (Throws) in Wayne, Nebraska. Both teams will be back on the track at the USD Early Bird (Apr. 4-5) and Gorilla Classic (Apr. 5) in Vermillion, S.D. and Pittsburgh, Kansas.
 
Minnesota State women's track and field is coming off a second place finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. MSU men's track and field finished 14^th at the same event.

"Our coaching staff is really pleased with how our student-athletes performed in their season openers this weekend," said Director of Track & Field Mike Turgeon. "A major highlights was Miranda breaking the school record in the heptathlon. Beyond that, our entire multis and jump group had an outstanding few days down at Emporia State. Meanwhile, our throwers competed at Wayne State, where many recorded lifetime bests in their events."
 
MEN
At the Wildcat Classic, junior Ben Wieser won the men's shot put at a distance of 16.32m (53-6.50). Freshman Dylan Gross was fourth (15.17m, 49-9.25). Gross led the field in discus throw with personal best mark of 53.21m (174-07), followed by senior Oliver Anderson (50.64m, 166-02). Senior Joshua Beiswanger won men's hammer throw at 57.42m (188-05). Senior Liam Byrne was third in hammer throw and first in javelin throw for the Mavericks (52.52m, 172-04).
 
At the ESU Relays, junior Jalen McGee hit a Division II provisional mark with a time of 14.04 in 110m hurdles for fourth place. Both McGee and junior Anthony Ward hit provisional marks in long jump. Ward won the event at 7.64m (25-0.75), which was second best in Division II this season and a personal best. Junior Braxton Stewart led the field in decathlon with a score of 6,742 (personal best). Stewart won decathlon 400m, 1500m, high jump, pole vault and shot put.
 
WOMEN
Sophomore Mony Andersen placed first in women's shot put at the Wildcat Classic, with a throw of 13.17m (43-2.50). Sophomore Elise Jensen led MSU with a second place discus throw at 45.63m (149-08, personal best). Senior Lily Beneke won women's hammer throw with a mark of 56.26m (184-07). Andersen came in second (51.66m, 169-06, personal best). Senior Kassidy Siedow also helped MSU with her third place javelin throw of 38.25m (125-06).
 
Emporia State hosted the ESU Relays at Francis G. Welch Stadium while the Wildcat Outdoor Classic was hosted by Wayne State College at LeRoy Simpson Track.

"We're excited to have the rest of our team open up next weekend at Pittsburgh State and the University of South Dakota," Turgeon said.