EMPORIA, Kan. - The Concordia-St. Paul track and field teams opened the 2023 outdoor season with nine top-10 finishes at the Emporia State Relays this weekend.

Eben Mundfrom provided a big highlight in the season-opening meet as he hit an NCAA provisional qualify mark in the hammer throw. Mundfrom took home a fourth-place finish with a distance of 191' 5", just three inches shy of his own school record in the event.

His result was one of six top-10 results for the men's squad and one of two inside the top-five. Matthew Helser registered the top finish as his time of 3:54.76 in the 1500m was good for third. Emmett Faltesek gave CSP a pair in the top-10 in the event as he took 10th with a time of 4:00.63.

CJ Picazo and Dan Otto each put up strong finishes in the discus as Picazo took sixth with a mark of 159' 0" and Otto took eighth with a mark of 157' 1" while Ethan Blischke added a seventh-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:07.04.

The women chipped in four results in the top-10 as Michaella Hartinger had a hand in two of them. She grabbed an eighth-place finish in the 800m with a time of 2:27.18 while she also joined up with Breonna Graham, Lauryn Samuel and Jaid Perry to put up a mark of 4:23.85 in the sprint medley relay to take second.

Sydney Jackson and Ella Paaverud each added sixth-place finishes of their own as Jackson finished the 400m in 58.41 seconds and Paaverud cleared 160' 9" in the hammer throw.

The Golden Bears return to action next weekend as they travel south to the University of Dubuque for the Spartan Opener on Saturday.

Men's Top 10 Finishes
1500m
Matthew Helser - 3:54.76, 3rd
Emmett Faltesek - 4:00.63, 10th

3000m Steeplechase
Ethan Blischke - 10:07.04, 7th

Discus Throw
CJ Picazo - 159' 0", 6th
Dan Otto - 157' 1", 8th

Hammer Throw
Eben Mundfrom - 191' 5", 4th & NCAA Provisional Qualifying Mark

Women's Top 10 Finishes
400m
Sydney Jackson - 58.41, 6th

800m
Michaella Hartinger - 2:27.18, 8th

Sprint Medley Relay
Breonna Graham, Lauryn Samuel, Michaella Hartinger, Jaid Perry - 4:23.85, 2nd

Hammer Throw
Ella Paaverud - 160' 9" - 6th