Worth County grad Merrideth Spiers and the North Dakota State Bison had a banner year in women’s track for the 2022-2023 school year.
On December 2nd and 3rd, the Bison competed in the North Dakota State Alumni Classic. The Bison won with 164 points to 100 for North Dakota, 24 for Minnesota-Moorhead, 19 for Concordia-Moorhead, and 13 for Valley City State. Spiers won the Weight Throw with a throw of 61’1¼”. She was 11th in the Shot Put with a throw of 39’3¼”.
In the Bison Team Cup, held on January 14th of this year, Spiers was 12th in the Shot Put with a throw of 39’1¼”. She won the Weight Throw with a throw of 58’5¼”. North Dakota State won the three-way match with 134 points to 75 for South Dakota State and 66 for North Dakota.
On January 21st, the Bison competed in the Jim Emmerich Alumni Invitational at South Dakota State. Spiers was ninth in the Weight Throw out of 30 with a throw of 57’9”. She improved on her mark in the shot put, finishing 17th out of 37 with a throw of 40 feet.
On January 28th, the Bison competed at the North Dakota Open. Spiers placed for the first time in the Shot Put, getting an eighth place throw of 42’5½”. She was third in the Weight Throw with a throw of 58’½”. The Bison were edged out by North Dakota, who had 167 points to 160.5 for North Dakota State. South Dakota State had 102, Bemidji State had 72.5, Dickinson State 60.5, Concordia-Moorhead 32, University of Manitoba 26, Jamestown 26, Minnesota Moorhead 25.5, Minot State 14, U-Mary 12, and Winnipeg Optimist Athletics 1.
On February 3rd and 4th, the Bison held the Bison Open. Spiers was second in the Weight Throw with a throw of 57’11¾”. Spiers was ninth in the Shot Put, but improved on her mark with a throw of 42’6¼”. As a team, North Dakota State had 277 points to win. Augustana had 115, U-Mary 95.5, North Dakota 69, Northern State 67.5, Dickinson State 34, Minnesota Moorhead 32.5, Valley City State 10, Jamestown 7.5, St. Cloud State 5, Concordia-Moorhead 4, Minot State 4, and Bismarck State 1.
On February 25th, Spiers and the Bison competed in the Summit League Indoor Championships in Vermillion (SD). Spiers was 10th in the Weight Throw with a throw of 58’4”. She was 12th in the Shot Put with a throw of 42’¼”. For the event, South Dakota won with 214 points. North Dakota State was second with 166, South Dakota State had 111, North Dakota 79, UMKC 30, UNO 21, St. Thomas (MN) 18, Western Illinois 12, and Oral Roberts 11.
On March 17th, the Bison traveled to the University of South Florida in Tampa (FL) to open the outdoor season. Merrideth Spires was put in the Hammer Throw, and she finished ninth with a throw of 163’3”. She placed in the Discus, where she was eighth with a throw of 151’1”. She was 13th in the Shot Put but got a season best with a throw of 42’9½”.
From March 30th to April 1st, the team went to four different events around the country. Spiers went to Stanford (CA) and finished her highest of the year in the Shot Put, getting fourth in the Collegiate Division with a throw of 42’11¾”. That improved her previous mark set in Tampa. In the Hammer Throw, she finished 6th in the Collegiate Division with a throw of 168’10”. In the Discus, she was 4th in the Collegiate Division with a throw of 147’3”.
On April 7th through 8th, at the University of South Dakota Early Bird, Spiers was 22nd in the Discus with a throw of 131’½” out of 83 athletes. She was 16th out of 71 in the Shot Put with a throw of 40’11”. And she placed in the Hammer Throw with a season best throw of 170’5¾”, good enough for eighth place.
From April 13th to 15th, the team split up and competed in three different events in California. Spiers competed in the Beach Invitational, in Long Beach (CA). She was 30th in the Hammer Throw in a loaded field, but continued to show improvement, getting a throw of 173’4”, an improvement by three feet.
Spiers threw for 40’2¾” in the Shot Put at Long Beach and had a throw of 144’4” in the Discus.
On May 5th, the Bison opened a brand new track facility and hosted their first ever meet there. Spiers continued her steady improvement in the Shot, getting sixth with a throw of 43’6”. In the Hammer Throw, she was fourth and improved by two feet to 175’11”.
On May 11th to 13th, the Bison competed in the Summit League Outdoor Championships, which they hosted on their new track. Spiers was 13th in the Shot Put with a throw of 42’4¾”. She placed in the Discus with a seventh place throw of 137’9”. Her best result was in the Hammer Throw, where she was fifth with a throw of 174’8”. When the dust was settled, North Dakota State had won the Summit League with 253.833 points. South Dakota was second with 240.5, South Dakota State had 120.333, North Dakota 85, St. Thomas (MN) 43, Oral Roberts 30, Western Illinois 23, UMKC 15, and UNO 8. The men also edged out South Dakota State to give the Bison a clean sweep that day.
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