BISMARCK, ND – University of Mary men's and women's track and field is a week away from competing at the NSIC Championship. In order to head to Mankato, MN, at their best, UMary will host the Marauders Tune-Up on Saturday, Feb. 21. Field events will begin at noon and track events will begin at 1 p.m. from the UMary Fieldhouse.

Competing at the meet in addition to the Marauders will be Bismarck State College, Dawson Community College, and NSIC foes University of Jamestown and Minot State University.

Live video can be found here and live results can be followed here.

LAST TIME OUT
UMary had its final road meet of the indoor season last week at the SDSU Classic. Tayen Werner impressed with a school record in the 400m, finishing with a 53.93 and winning the race. She is now ranked 5^th in the nation in the event. Werner ran the 4x400m Relay with Aspen Eslinger, Kelescia Downes and Kate Van Erp, finishing as the top Division II team and ranking 13^th in the nation with a 3:44.37.

Xavier Ifill finished as the runner-up in the 200m with a 21.53, ranking 45^th in the nation with an NCAA provisional time.

SCHOOL RECORDS
In his first-ever race with the Marauders at the Mike Thorson Alumni Classic, Nathan Andrews won the 600m Dash and set a school record in the process. His time of 1:19.94 beat the previous mark by over a second. The prior record was set by Osvaldo Cano last year at 1:21.02.

Gideon Hammah broke a long-standing school record in the 1000m in his season debut at the Marauders 2026 Indoor Opener. The sophomore's time of 2:27.81 broke Mario Czarnomski's record of 2:30.21 that had stood since 2005.

Non-NCAA event records were also set at the meet in the 150m by Mark DeArmond (16.78) and Kendall Berg (19.17). The men's 4x300m Relay team of Preston Lemar, Emanuel Latawiec, Dawson Hawkinson, and Ryan Koberoski finished with a time of 2:28.22. The women's 4x300m Relay team of Mya Nishimura, Grace Brandt, Bernadette Belzer, and Tayen Werner cross the finish line at 2:48.85.

Several records fell for the Marauders at the UND Open at the end of January. Gideon Hammah broke his own record in the Mile by four seconds, cutting his time to 4:08.95. Tayen Werner earned her first individual school record with a 54.49 in the 400m, breaking Sakena Massiah's record that was set last season. Kenny Moxey Jr. was sensational in the Heptathlon, becoming the first Marauder in program history to surpass 5,000 points with a total of 5,079.

Non-NCAA event records were set in the Indoor Discus by Sean Erickson (50.82m) and Siena Lambert (40.78m).

Werner broke her own record at the SDSU Classic, cutting her time in the 400m to 53.93.

NATIONAL STANDINGS
Here is where the Marauders' NCAA qualifying athletes currently stand in Division II:

Tayen Werner (400m) – 5th (53.93)
Kelscia Downes, Aspen Eslinger, Kate Van Erp, Tayen Werner (4x400m) – 13th (3:44.37)
Tionce Walrond (200m) – 14th (24.15)
Kenny Moxey Jr. (Heptathlon) – 14th (5,079)
Laila Cleare (60m) – 15th (7.48)
Kelescia Downes (400m) – 18rd (54.97)
Anna Bruno (Long Jump) – 29th (5.90m)
Kate Van Erp, Tionce Walrond, Kelescia Downes, Tayen Werner (4x400m) – 35th (3:48.06)
Lucas Kupfer (High Jump) – 37th (2.04m)
Xavier Ifill (200m) – 45th (21.53)
Tayen Werner (200m) – 46th (24.54)
Gabriella Apelian, Kelescia Downes, Kate Van Erp, Tayen Werner (4x400m) – 54th (3:50.66)
Colby Fleck, Xavier Ifill, Ryan Koberoski, Nathan Andrews (4x400m) – 64th (3:15.48)

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Tionce Walrond was named the NSIC Track Athlete of the Week in the conference's first release of the weekly honors. Her time of 24.15 in the 200m at the Mike Thorson Alumni Classic ranks as the 2nd in the nation currently. Walrond also set a PR in the 400m with a 58.52, placing 3^rd. It is the third time the junior has been named the conference's athlete of the week.

Prior to Christmas break, UMary had three athletes named NSIC Athlete of the Week. Tayen Werner (track) and Anna Bruno (field) swept the women's awards for the first time since 2021. Werner had wins in the 400m and 4x400m and scored the 5^th best time in the nation in the 400m. Bruno won the long jump with a top-10 national distance of 5.90m. On the men's side, freshman Colby Fleck was named the conference's Track Athlete of the Week following a 60m PR of 6.87 that ranks 3^rd in the conference. He also was victorious as part of the 4x400m that is 13^th in the nation.

Tayen Werner was named the NSIC Athlete of the Week for the third time in her career after a victory in the 400m at the UND Open. She currently ranks 6^th in the nation in the event and has the best time in the NSIC. Werner was also a member of the 4x400m Relay that placed 3^rd and is now 15^th in the nation.

Werner earned her third NSIC Athlete of the Week award of the indoor season, a first for UMary since 2013, after winning the 400m at the SDSU Classic. She moved up to 5^th in the event and joined a 4x400m Relay team that is now 12^th in the nation.

PRESEASON POLLS
Both the men's and women's track and field teams were picked to finish 2^nd in the Northern Sun Preseason Coaches' Poll. For the women, this is their second consecutive year in the spot. On the men's side, it is the first time since 2019 that they have been picked 2^nd.

MARAUDERS TUNE-UP ORDER OF EVENTS | FEB. 21, 2026

11:30am                         National Anthem
12:00pm                        Field Events
                                       Long Jump (women, men to follow)                                          1 flight each
                                       Triple Jump follows Long Jump (women, men to follow)          1 flight each
 
12:00pm                        High Jump (Men, women to follow)
                                      Pole Vault (men, women to follow)               
                            
12:00pm                        Weight Throw (men, women to follow)                                      1 flight each
 
1:00pm                           Shot Put (After WT) (men, women to follow)               1 flight W 2 flights M
                                                                                     
2:00pm                           Anticipated time for the Triple Jump to Start* TBD by Official
 
1:00pm                           Running Events (women followed by men)                                           
1:00                                  60m Hurdles- Finals               
1:20                                  60m Dash- Prelims                     5 heats
1:40                                  600m                                           2 heats            
1:50                                  Mile                                             3 heats            
2:10                                  60m Dash- Finals
2:20                                  400m                                           2 heats                                         
2:25                                  800m                                           men only
2:30                                  1000m                                         women only                                              
2:35                                  3,000m                                        men only
2:50                                  200m                                           10 heats
3:10                                  5,000m                                        2 heats                          
3:50                                  4x400m Relay                             1 heat
4:00                                  Conclusion of the meet        
 
AFTER THE ACTION
Marauders fans should make plans to stop at Buffalo Wild Wings following all UMary home games. With two convenient Bismarck locations and great food and drink specials, it's easy to see why Buffalo Wild Wings is the preferred post-game hangout of Marauders Athletics!

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