Ferris State Track Squads Open Outdoor Season In Impressive Fashion At Two Different Meets

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's outdoor track and field squads opened the 2025 outdoor season in impressive fashion with strong results over the weekend at two different events.

The Bulldogs competed in the Washington University (Mo.) Distance Festival along with the Redbird Challenge, which was hosted by Illinois State University.

Overall, Ferris State finished the weekend with a school record, a national qualifying mark and eighth student-athletes move into the top 10 on the school's all-time charts.

FSU's Whitney Farrell placed 17th in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:57.68) with a NCAA Division II National Provisional qualifying time at the distance festival. Meanwhile, Daisy Englund captured 19th place at the distance festival in the 800 meters (2:20.48) while Hanna Brock was 53rd in the 5,000 meters (17:49.92) at the event, posting the sixth-best school all-time mark.

The Bulldog men were led at the distance festival by Cooper Sorsen, who finished 15th in the 5,000 meters (14:19.96) with a school-record performance.

Ferris State's Nyah Tyron placed fifth in the 400 hurdles (1:07.24) wile Frances Hoffman captured seventh place in the 100 hurdles (16.35) and Lizzie Haines finished ninth in the 400 hurdles (1:10.22) at the Redbird Challenge. FSU's 4x400-meter relay squad of Abby Winkle, Kendra Montague, Oliviah Malloy and Tyron placed fifth (4:09.94).

Meanwhile, Alexis Le came in seventh in the high jump (1.55m) as she posted the ninth-best effort in program history and Rebecca Marvin took 14th place in the shot put (34-0.25) along with 15th in the discus (108-5). Maddy Biller was 15th in the hammer throw (122-11). Darnesha Fraley finished 13th in the 200 meters (25.97), Taylor Huntoon placed 13th in the 800 meters (2:26.01) and Montague was 15th in the 400 meters (1:01.45).

In the men's competition at the Redbird Challenge, FSU's Bryson Fronta placed second in the 100 meters (10.82) with Charlie Sutton fourth (10.87) and Ignatius Jackson sixth (11.56). Sutton was also fifth in the 200 meters (21.89) while Fronta took seventh (22.21). Dean Topolski came in eighth in the 400 meters (50.89).

The Bulldogs had two individuals in the top 10 in the 800 meters with Josh Langeland fifth (1:58.52) and Davis Harris ninth (1:59.71). Ben Scott was sixth in the 5,000 meters (16:15.24) while Mick Robinson came in ninth (16:36.94). Noah Griffith was 15th in the 1,500 meters (4:08.01).

FSU's Blaine Rogers placed third in the 110 hurdles (15.88) and the Bulldogs' 4x400-meter relay team earned runner-up honors with a second-place finish as the group of Topolski, Jared Watchorn, Langland and Luke Berney clocked 3:26.27. Their performance ranks eighth all-time in Bulldog history.

Ferris State's Hayden Josef finished third in the men's high jump (6-6) while recording the program's seventh-best all-time jump and Aaron Pierce was third in the long jump (22-1.5). Hunter Richardson wound up 10th in the shot put (44-2.5) with Brady Zarb 12th (43-2.5). Richardson also came in ninth in the discus (138-6) followed by Devin Dennison in 10th place (128-6). Noah Jones was ninth in the javelin (134-8) with Jack Romel 10th (126-10).

Finally, Dennison won the hammer throw with a throw of 181-1 for the Bulldogs with the sixth-best performance in school history.

Ferris State will next take part in the Golden Grizzly Invite hosted by Oakland University on Saturday, April 5, in Rochester Hills.