11/26/08 - Women 4th, Men 6th at DAC, Sayler to Nationals Articles courtesy of Minot Daily News

11-23-08 Sayler finishes 241st at nationals

11-22-08 Sayler navigates national alone

11-10-08 Beavers' Sayler gets nationals bid

11-07-08 An unknown test for youthful Beavers

10/26/08 - MSU teams cut time in South Dakota - Minot Daily News

VERMILLION, S.D. - Both the Minot State University men's and women's cross country teams trimmed time off their respective season bests at the The Graphic Edge Cross Country Invitational hosted by University of South Dakota and Mount Marty here Saturday.

Both teams finished in 11th place, but both had solid days running.

"We weren't quite sure compeition wise, how things would go," MSU head coach Stu Melby said. "The women had their best total time and the best average team time of the season and the men were the same way. We had a couple of the girls run their season best and a couple more close to it and the men had several run better than they had all season."

The Beavers best overall finish was by freshman Brandon Velasquez for the men. He finished the course in 26 minutes, 29.89 seconds to place eighth overall in a very competitive meet.

"If you look at the nationals from the teams from our conference here, he would have been the first individual qualifier," Melby said. "It is good to see how we stack up against the other schools in the conference."

Melby was especially pleased with the 1-5 gap between runners for the women's team.

"We were over a minute faster when you put the times together and closed the gap between

Results - Women & Men

10/18/08 - Dietrich, Meza Shine at MSU Invite - Minot Daily News

10/17/08 - Women & Men 2nd in Home Meet

Led by freshmen Cassie Sayler and Brandon Velasquez the women and men finished second today in the Minot State Invite. Under a sunny sky the women trailed Jamestown College by 15 points with 36 total while the University of Regina did not field a full team. Women's Results Sayler finished 6th in 20:20, Lauren Dietrich 8th 20:30, Amanda Towle 10th 21:23, Danielle Wangler 13th 22:04 and Heidi Rettig 16th 22:46.

The men found the University of Regina taking the title with 18 points while the Beavers scored 53 and Jamestown took third with 56 points. Velasquez was 5th in 27:33, Cory Meza 6th 28:39, Khaldon Evans 12th 30:19, Devin Hiller 16th 33:45, Anthony Dosch 18th 35:29 and Luis Elizondo 19th 38:49. Men's Results

10/05/08 - Men & Women Take Third at Jimmie Invite

Both the men's and women's teams finished third with 95 and 82 points respectively, on Friday at the Jimmie Invitational hosted by Jamestown College. The men were paced by freshman Brandon Velasquez's fourth place finish while freshman Cassie Sayler led the women with a fifth place finish. Velasquez covered the 8000-meter course in 27:05 and Sayler toured the women's 5000-meter race in 20:08.

The men's team title went to Dickinson State with 23 points followed by Concordia College with 53, MSU 95, Bemidji Squirrels 100 and Jamestown College 115. Following Velasquez across the line for the Beavers were five more freshmen - Cory Meza 13th 28:39; Khaldon Evans 29th 30:34; John Towle 31st 30:51; Anthony Dosch 46th 34:37 and Luis Elizondo 51st 37:54. Junior Devin Hiller got ill during the race and was not able to finish.

Host Jamestown College won the women's title with 29 points followed by Concordia 37, MSU 82, Bemidji State 104 and Dickinson State 116 points. Rounding out the Beavers scorers were junior Lauren Dietrich 16th 21:09; junior Amanda Towle 19th 21:26; senior Kristen Wiebe 25th 22:03; sophomore Heidi Rettig 38th 23:38 and freshman Annamaria Holt 43rd 24:52.

Dosch, Evans, Dietrich, Sayler and Wiebe ran their best times of the season. Jimmie Results

09/22/08 - Velasquez Named DAC Runner of the Week

The Dakota Athletic Conference announced today that Minot State University athlete Brandon Velasquez was chosen DAC Cross Country Runner of the week ending September 21st .   The freshman from Chula vista, California finished fifth at the University of North Dakota/Ron Pynn Invitational on Friday.   With 55 runners in the race, Velasquez was the top NAIA and DAC runner with a time of 26:42 for the 8000-meter course.  Velasquez led his team to a fifth place finish with 125 points. 

09/21/08 - BEAVERS OPEN SEASON AT UND RON PYNN INVITATIONAL

The Beavers opened up the 2008 cross country on Friday at the UND Ron Pynn Invitational with the men finishing fifth led by freshman Brandon Velasquez's fifth place individual finish while the women were sixth behind the 37 th individual place of junior Amanda Towle. (more)

09/21/08 - Beavers Team Camp Kicks Off Training

08/20/08 - Team Meetings and Physicals

07/11/08 - Beavers Sign Distance Trio from California

The Minot State University men's Cross Country and Track & Field teams have signed Brandon Velasquez, Cory Meza and Leon Medina to letters of intent to run for the Beavers in 2008-09.

All three runners come from Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista, California where they were members of the Mustangs league champion cross country team, who also placed second in the CIF and 13th at the state meet.

Velasquez, was 2-time state qualifier in cross county, 2-time league champion in the 1600 meter run and holds the school record in the 3200 meter run at 9:26.8. He was the #1 runner for the Mustangs placing 50th at the California state championships last fall.

Medina has run 9:53 for 3200 meters when he placed fifth in the league meet and has a best of 4:38 for 1600 meters. Meza, primarily a wrestler until two years ago, has run 10:10 and 4:38 and has really started to commit himself to running this past year. Meza was the #5 runner during cross country and finished 150th at state for the D1 schools in California.

“Signing these three young men is a great plus for our program”, said Stu Melby, Minot State University Cross Country Coach, “they come from a very team oriented program and each will contribute a great work ethic and determination to our program. Each one will bring a new dimension to our team and together they bring the team attitude and atmosphere needed as we rebuild.”

These signers bring the Beavers men's cross country team to ten for this coming fall.

05/26/08 - Outdoor National Results Women Men

05/21/08 - Four Beavers Ready for Nationals

Arriving in St. Louis , Missouri , the four student-athletes representing the Beavers at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championships were greeted with the sight of the Gateway Arch and all of its meaning and history. Competing at Ralph Korte Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville in Edwardsville , Illinois Drew Hysjulien, Jenny Castro, Josh Ming and Alex Boyeff prepare to add to the Beavers history in this historic region.

On Thursday May 22nd Ming and Castro will open up the championship for the Beavers by competing in their specialty event – Javelin. Fifth year senior Castro (Dillon, MT) will open up the meet for the Beavers at 4:00 p.m. She takes her 148-9” / 45.35-meter throw, ranked fifth in the nation looking to earn her third All American Honor and compete for the title.

At 6:30 p.m. sophomore Ming (Westby, MT) will take his 190-3” / 58.00-meter throw to the line where he is ranked 12th in the nation. He looks to improve on his 14th place finish from last year after being ranked 17th .

On Friday the 23rd red shirt freshman Alex Boyeff will start the day at 1:00 p.m. in the shot put. The Minot native is ranked 8th in his first nationals appearance with a best of 53-1.75” / 16.20-meters. Approximately two feet separate second and eighth.

At 5:00 p.m. Castro is back at it in the discus. With her personal best throw of 135-5” / 41.27-meters, set this year, Castro is ranked 27th .

On the final day, Saturday the 24th, Castro takes her 41-7.25” / 12.68-meters shot put to the ring at 1:00 p.m. She's ranked 16th.

At 1:30 p.m. fifth year senior Hysjulien will contest the triple jump where he is ranked fourth in the nation (even though he has the third best jump) at 49-4.25” / 15.04-meters. The Grand Forks native takes his school record jump into his third outdoor appearance. Hysjulien looks to earn his first All American honor after finishing 12th and 14th in his previous appearances.

Castro and Hysjulien will leave the championship with one honor guaranteed - their third Academic All American recognition having maintained a cumulative grade point average above 3.5 for their career.

Current NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Qualifiers

05/05/08 - DAC Championships Results

04/30/08 - Beavers Ready for DAC Track & Field, Day Changed

The Minot State University men's and women's Track & Field teams are in the final stages of preparing for the Dakota Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday, May 4th in Jamestown, North Dakota. Originally the meet was scheduled for Friday, May 2nd but was changed to Sunday after the DAC coaches and administration consulted the weather forecast. Friday calls for temperatures in the 30's with chance of snow and winds up to 25 miles per hour. Saturday the forecast gets better, but Sunday comes through with the best opportunity for warmer temperatures and mild wind. The meet begins at 11:00 a.m. at Al Cassell Track on the campus of Jamestown College.

The Beavers look poised to make significant improvements with their best showings in the past seven years for both the men and women. On paper, based on the most recent DAC performance list the men are in line to score over 100 points compared to the 17 points they scored last year. Jamestown , Black Hills and Minot are within 10 points of each other looking to fight for second, third and fourth place in the conference. Dickinson is the men's favorite.

The men will be led by fifth year senior Drew Hysjulien who is ranked second in both the triple jump and high jump and sophomore Josh Ming who leads the javelin. Hysjulien is the 2005 and 2006 DAC triple jump champion and looks to three-peat after red shirting last year. Ming is the defending javelin champion.

The women are looking to fight for fourth with Dakota State where four points separate the two – 84 to 80. The women's title looks to go to Black Hills followed by Dickinson and Jamestown .

The women will be led by fifth year senior Jenny Castro who is ranked first in the javelin and fourth in both the shot put and discus. Castro is the 2006 champion in the javelin and second in the discus and looks to repeat those performances after taking the 2007 season off. Sophomore Amanda Warnett will the way on the track with her second place ranking in the 400, on the verge of scoring in the 200, and running legs on both the 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter relays.

“We are going into the conference meet with a lot of confidence, excitement, and determination for our highest finishes on both sides in at least seven years,” said Head Coach Stu Melby. “The men and women have people in scoring positions in pretty much every event we are entered in this year, which is very motivating for us. Everyone is ready to get out and compete and exceed what we have on paper. The paper scores are nice, but now it is time to go out and make them a reality and I think everyone is ready to do that. It will be especially nice to have decent weather to do it in.”

The Sunday meet will get started at 11:00 a.m. with the men's pole vault, long jump and shot put and the women's high jump and discus. It will conclude at 4:45 p.m. with the 4x400 meter relays.

04/29/08 - Jamestown Meet

04/22/08 - Bagsby 3rd, Dalton II and Sheppard 5th & 7th at DAC Combined Events

04/20/08 - Day 1 of DAC Combined Events Championships Dalton II Second, Bagsby Third

04/19/08 - Beavers Set 5 Personal Bests with 22 Season Bests at home Meet
results & photos

04/14/08 - Hysjulien School Record, 3 National Qualifiers

04/10/08 - Meet Cancelled

The Minot State University Beavers track & field meet scheduled for Friday April 11th at Dickinson State university has been cancelled due to weather.  The weather forecast in Dickinson is for high winds around 23 mph, the feels like temperature from 36-40 degrees, with a high chance of snow occurring tonight and early Friday morning. The Beavers will head to Bismarck on Sunday April 13th for the Marauder Open. 

04/07/08 - Beavers qualify three at NSU Open

04/02/08 - Beavers Open Outdoor Season

03/29/08 - HS Beaver Builder Open has 19 schools and over 300 Athletes Entered

03/16/08 - Beavers Present Champions of Character Program at Elementary School

02/27/08 - Lockie, Hysjulien, Goetz and Dalton Headed to Nationals

02/27/08 - DAC Championships

02/27/08 - Minot State Hosts Track Clinic

02/16/08 - Lockie and Hysjulien Qualify for Nationals, 32 Bests on the Day

02/09/08 6:15am - Weather Road Conditions Cancel Bemidji Beaver Classic

02/05/08 - Illness strikes Beavers at Bison Open

01/28/08 - Beavers Successful at Concordia Cobber Duel

01/23/08 - Beavers Open Well at Super8 Bemidji Meet

10/07/07 - Beavers Prepare for 4th Annual Workathon

Aug. 2007 - New Indoor Track Progression