RESULTS FROM GRAND VALLEY STATE HOLIDAY OPEN

ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Beavers enjoyed a record-setting day to start the indoor track and field season on Friday.

Despite sending just four student-athletes to compete at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open, Minot State came away with two new NCAA Division II-era school records, one for the men and one for the women, in a stellar start to the winter season.

Caitlin Cornell set the tone racing to a new Minot State record in the women's 5,000 meters as she finished fourth in her heat of the 5K in 17 minutes, 39.0 seconds, breaking the previous NCAA D-II Beaver best of 17:43.88 run by Ashley Franco in 2020.

Minot State's Jacob Jensen then capped the day for the Beavers with a new NCAA Division II-era record in the men's 5,000 meters as he crushed his own previous fastest time in the event by more than 30 seconds. Jensen finished 11th in his heat in 14:38.79. His previous top Beaver time in the event was 15:11.44, which he ran last season.

Jensen's time also broke the all-time school record of 14:41 run by Minot State Hall-of-Famer Mike Tighe back in 2001.

While Cornell and Jensen led the way, the Beavers also got strong performances from Lewis Cotterill, who was seventh overall in the men's mile, and Trent Holiday, who was sixth in his heat of the men's 3,000 meters. Cotterill finished in a time of 4:28.62 while Holiday clocked a time of 8:46.59 in the 3K.

Now with the season underway, and two new records already in the books, the complete Minot State indoor track and field teams swing into action as they will compete next Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Marauder Indoor Opener hosted by the University of Mary.