VIRGINIA BEACH, Va./FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota wrapped up competition at both the East Coast Invitational and Bison Open on Saturday and ended the day with one new school record, five upgrades on the UND top-10 lists and placed 13 times.

Ethan Thomas broke his own program record in the shot put and placed sixth in Virginia with a toss of 60-6 3/4 (18.46m). He bettered his previous record of 59-6 1/4 (18.14m), which he set at the Jim Emmerich Alumni Meet in Brookings two weeks ago. Thomas now ties for No. 42 in the NCAA in the shot put with his PR.

The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Kimberly Hitchen, Nadia Evans, Porsha Miles and Jerzie Finstad also posted an upgrade on the UND top-10 list in Virginia and finished fourth in 3:50.23, good for the No. 6 relay time in school history.

Kenna Curry took fifth in the women's shot put with a mark of 49-4 3/4 (15.06m) and Eve Goldstein was sixth with a personal best of 48-7 3/4 (14.83m). Goldstein improved her No. 4 throw in school history with her mark.

In Fargo, NoDak placed nine times and added two improvements to the UND top-10 lists.

Marta Marksa finished fourth in the women's 60-meter hurdles final with a personal-best time of 8.63 and is now No. 2 on the UND top-10 list. Later in the meet, she was also fourth in the 400 meters with a PR of 58.36.

In the men's 400 meters, Jory Vasek took third with a time of 49.32, while Maverick Kneefe was fourth with a personal-best time of 49.56. With his PR, Kneefe is now No. 10 in the event in school history.

James Weninger placed fifth in the high jump with a clearance of 6-8 (2.03m).

Katelyn Rath was seventh in the shot put with a personal best of 43-6 (13.26m).

Sawyer Nelson and Shane Zierden both placed in their respective jumping events. Nelson was sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 45-7 (13.89m), while Zierden finished eighth in the long jump with a mark of 21-10 1/4 (6.66m).

Olivia Correale took eighth in the women's mile, clocking a time of 5:11.00.

North Dakota will split up again next weekend and take part in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston and the SDSU Indoor Classic in Brookings. Both meets are slated to take place on Friday and Saturday.

POST-MEET NOTES
* North Dakota split up this weekend and competed at both the East Coast Invitational in Virginia Beach and the Bison Open in Fargo. Over both two-day meets combined, the Fighting Hawks set two new program records, placed 19 times and recorded six improvements on the UND top-10 lists.
* Friday evening in Virginia, Kenna Curry shattered the women's weight throw school record with a toss of 75-0 1/2 (22.87m). Her throw broke the previous record mark of 72-1 3/4 (21.99m), set by Molli Detloff at the 2019 Summit League Indoor Championships. Curry's throw currently ranks No. 3 in the NCAA.
* Late Saturday afternoon in Virginia, Ethan Thomas bettered his own program record in the men's shot put with a PR of 60-6 3/4 (18.46m). He broke his previous record of 59-6 1/4 (18.14m), which he set in Brookings two weeks ago. Thomas now ties for No. 42 in the NCAA.