MINNEAPOLIS – North Dakota began its week of competition with select Fighting Hawks competing in the Gary Wilson Invitational on the campus of Minnesota on Wednesday. UND broke a pair of program records at the meet, shattered a meet record, won three crowns and placed eight times.

Jerzie Finstad won the 400-meter title and broke the school record with a PR time of 53.57. She beat the previous record time of 53.96, which was set by Lucy Steinmeyer at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships. Finstad’s time ranks No. 38 in the NCAA West Region and also set a new Gary Wilson Invitational record, shattering the previous meet record time of 56.01, which was set by Erika Kuntz of South Dakota State last season.

Earlier in the meet, Finstad placed third in the 100 meters with a personal-best time of 12.03. With her PR, Finstad moved up from No. 7 to No. 3 on the UND top-10 list.

Marta Marksa was the first Hawk to capture a crown at the meet and bettered the 100-meter hurdles program record in the process with a PR of 13.55. She edged out the previous record of Elise Ulseth, who set it at 13.65 at the 2022 Summit League Outdoor Championships. Marksa’s time currently ranks No. 41 in the NCAA West Region. She automatically qualified for the finals after winning her heat in prelims with a time of 13.91.

Less than three hours later, Marksa claimed her second title of the meet in the 400-meter hurdles and was victorious in 60.97.

Eric Weiss was the runner-up in the invitational 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking a time of 9:21.09.

Tanner Schiller took seventh in the 800 meters with a personal best of 1:54.24.

Elle Sondag and Olivia Krafty were the final Fighting Hawks to take the track and placed fifth (17:29.32) and seventh (17:36.47), respectively, in the 5,000 meters. Both of those times were PRs.

North Dakota’s throwers will begin the Bison Open on Thursday with the hammer throw. Live results of that meet will be provided by Hero’s Timing.