FARGO, N.D. – The drive toward the NSIC Championships at the end of the month took a big step forward for the Minot State track and field teams as five Beavers turned in career-best performances Friday at the Bison Open hosted by North Dakota State.

Zander Grover, Holter Bridwell, and Justin Williams led the charge for the Minot State men as Williams finished 4^th in the 200 meters, while Grover and Bridwell each turned in 5^th-place finishes at the meet with career-best performances.

The Beavers' Emery Smith and Kaiya Chell led the way for the women with career-best efforts as Smith finished 8^th in the 3,000 meters and Chell 26^th in the weight throw.

Minot State is back in action for day two of the Bison Open on Saturday in Fargo.

Bridwell finished 5^th in the men's 3,000 meters in a personal-best time of 8 minutes, 52.73 seconds on Friday, which vaulted him to 7^th in the NSIC, currently, in that event's standings.

As for Grover, he was 5^th in the 600 meters in 1:25.26, moving to 15^th in the event's current standings.

Freshman Justin Williams also added a career-best in the men's 200 meters, finishing 4^th in 22.40 seconds, which ranks him 17^th currently in the NSIC.

Adding another top finish for the Beavers was Peyton Tuhy, who was 5^th in the 1,000 in 2:32.39, the top time by a Minot State runner this season, which moves him to 7^th in the event's current standings.

On the women's side, Smith was 8^th in the 3,000 in a career-best time of 10:29.43 while Chell, a freshman, was 26^th in the weight throw with a career-best distance of 39 feet, 4.50 inches.

Summer Krebsbach added a season-best finish in the women's 200 for the Beavers, placing 3^rd in 25.34, which moved her to 7^th currently in the NSIC in the event.

And Bailey Wride was 4^th in the women's 1,000 in 3:03.01, a team-best time in the event this season that ranks 6^th her currently in the NSIC.