MANKATO, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's and men's track & field teams opened the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Indoor Championships on Friday with two individuals advancing to Saturday's finals and another scoring points in the pole vault.
 
SMSU's Shealyn Tom earned .33 team points placing eighth in the pole vault at 3.26m. She is the first Mustang female athlete to earn points in the event at the conference meet.
 
Isatu Shirek ran 8.96 in the women's 60-meter hurdles for the sixth fastest time and advances to Saturday's finals.
 
Taytum Klink ran 8.04 in the 60-meters to place 14^th overall, while Sierra Clifford earned 14^th place in the 400-meters with a time of 59.95.
 
Brycelyn Hanson ran 1:43.27 to finish 15^th, while Caitlyn Regan was right behind at 1:43.57 to finish in 17^th.
 
In the high jump, Leah Tietjens was the Mustangs' highest finisher at 16^th with a mark of 1.56m.
 
For the Mustang men, Renald Pierre ran an impressive 8.06 in the 60-meter hurdles, the second fastest in the prelims, to move onto the finals on Saturday. Nathan Lear ran 8.96 to finish 16^th, while teammates Nathan Stearns running 9.05 to place 18^th, Jack Clark was 19^th at 9.12, while Max Schmitt closed in 20^th at 9.14.
 
Hunter Smith recorded a mark of 4.23m in the pole vault to finish 11^th, while Nathan Lear placed 13^th in the long jump at 6.49m.
 
Tyler Nebelung registered a toss of 14.80m to finish in 19^th place in the weight throw.
 
Zak Kubitz and Blain Dilly both competed in four events of the heptathlon with the final three events on Saturday.
 
A total of six events were competed for women on Friday with Minnesota State leading the championship with 81 points. On the men's side, five events were scored on Friday with Minnesota State leading the way with 51.66 points.
 
The final day of the championship begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday.