The University of Minnesota Duluth men's and women's track and field teams didn't have to travel far Saturday to compete in the first meet of their season, competing in CSS Opener inside the Burns Wellness Center on the campus of the College of St. Scholastica.

The women's side had eight first place finishers and performers, which included a relay team. Kate Fitzgerald won the 60m race with a time of 7.74, a new PR for the senior. Another PR was run by 60m hurdle champion sophomore Lilian Wanzek, who ran to a 9.09. Wanzek also won the long jump with a distance jumped of 5.52. 

Junior 600m runner Emily Bastain earned a first place finish and PR time of 1:38.16, a race in which the Bulldogs took the first five spots, including junior Madi Wodele in second with a PR of 1:38.42. 

Other first place finishers on the indoor track included sophomore Avary Fitzpatrick in the 400m (59.54) and junior Ellie Hanowski in the 3000m (10:43.93). The Bulldog 4x400 relay of Wodele, Kuechle won in a 4:09.26

In addition to Wanzek's jump, two other first place spots in field events were scooped up by UMD, including sophomore Sophie Mahnke in the high jump (1.55m), and freshman Ilm'aime Ntambwe in the triple jump (11.28m).

24 women earned top-three spots on the podium Saturday.

On the men's side, freshman Nolan Bien ran to a 8.39 in the 60m hurdles to finish on top, while sophomore Austin Kehr posted a 1:22.52 in the 600m. The Bulldogs 4x400 relay of Brady Johnson, R. Olson, Bien and J. Heimkes finished first with a time of 3:28.48.

Senior jumper Will Heydt jumped to a PR of 7.04m to best his field, and then recorded a meet and venue record of 14.90 – that doubled as another PR – in the triple jump. Sophomore Noah Rodenwald won the pole vault with a height of 4.40.

In all, 16 men's competitors earned top-three places.