ALLENDALE, Mich. – Three weeks ago, Minot State's Lewis Cotterill broke the school record in the 800 meters and Friday he went ahead and bested his fastest time in the same event with the best effort in the NSIC this season.

Clocking a blazing-fast time of 1 minute, 53.47 seconds, Cotterill finished 31^st overall at the Grand Valley State Big Meet in Michigan, shaving nearly a full second off his previous best of 1:54.39, which he ran at South Dakota State in January, and as Cotterill moved to the top spot in the event in the NSIC this winter.

His effort set the tone for a strong first day of action for the Beaver track and field teams competing at two different indoor meets this weekend, as teammate Jacob Jensen added a school-record performance in Michigan, and Alicia Murillo enjoyed a career-best effort by nearly 20 seconds in South Dakota, propelling her up the NSIC standings, as well.

Jensen's record came in the men's 3,000 meters at the Grand Valley State meet as he finished ninth in his heat in the event in 8 minutes, 25.66 seconds, breaking the NCAA Division II-era record he set himself, a time of 8:39.63 last winter.

As for Murillo, she ran the women's 3,000 meters at the South Dakota State Indoor Classic on Friday and finished seventh overall in the event in 10:25.50, a career-best by nearly 20 seconds that vaulted her to No. 16 in the NSIC standings in the event this winter.

Also climbing the NSIC standings on the women's side was Paulette Dominguez who was 12th in her heat of the women's 5,000 meters in 18:24.60 at the Grand Valley State meet, landing her the No. 11 spot in the NSIC in the event.

Also climbing in the standings was Trent Holiday who shaved four seconds off his personal best in the mile, finishing in 4:20.99 to move to 12th in the NSIC, and Juan Gutierrez moved into the Top 10 in the 800 meters, following up teammate Cotterill's impressive effort with a top time of his own of 1:56.65 in Michigan on Friday, which ranks No. 6 in the NSIC.

And finally, sprinter Joseph Green also improved as he shaved a second off his top time in the 400 meters, finishing 42^nd overall in 50.92 seconds and climbing to 13^th in the event in the NSIC, and he cut a half-second off his time in the 200, finishing 39th overall in 22.67 to land at No. 13 in the NSIC in that event, as well.

The Minot State track and field teams wrap up their weekend of competition with the men's distance medley relay racing at the Grand Valley State Big Meet on Saturday, while the rest of the Beaver student-athletes are in action at the South Dakota State Indoor Classic.