VERMILLION, S.D. – Minot State distance runners Paulette Dominguez and Emery Smith led the way on Friday as the Beavers opened action at the South Dakota Early Bird outdoor track and field meet.

Dominguez broke her own NCAA Division II school record in the women's 5,000 meters while Smith won the 10,000 meters on the first day of competition at the Early Bird.

The Minot State men's and women's teams will be back in action Saturday as the meet concludes.

Racing to victory on Friday was Smith who bested the field in the 10,000 in 39 minutes, 5.86 seconds which puts her as the No. 1 runner in the event in the NSIC currently.

As for Dominguez, she was third on the day in the women's 5,000 in 18:04.10 which broke her own D-II era school record of 18:11.94 she clocked in 2022. Her time ranks her No. 4 in the NSIC currently.

Adding one more highlight on the day for the Minot State women was Nicole Reeves who finished sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:25.93 which vaulted her to the No. 2 spot in that event in the NSIC currently.

On the men's side, Ramon Duran led the way for the Beavers as he was second in the 400-meter hurdles in 53.45 seconds which is second-best this season currently in the NSIC, second only to Anthony Collins of Minnesota State, Mankato who won the 400 hurdles in 53.34 on Friday.

Samuel Kreins added an eighth-place finish on the day for the Beavers in the men's shot put with a career-best throw of 50 feet, 3.50 inches, which ranks him No. 7 currently in NSIC, and Gabriel Plummer moved to No. 5 currently in the NSIC with his time of 34:31.94 in the men's 10,000 meters as he finished 12th in the event on the day.