DECORAH, Iowa- The Knights No. 9 ranked men's and No. 12 ranked women's track and field teams concluded the first day of the American Rivers Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. The men's team is in second place with 21 points. The women's team is in first place with 80 points.
 
Elliott Bond (long jump), Grace Braden (pentathlon), Olivia Tollari (long jump), and Lydia Maas (5000) were named conference champions in today's action. AJ Wright broke his own program record in the prelims of the 60m dash with a time of 6.78.
 
Team Standings (Men)

1. Nebraska Wesleyan  42 points
2. Wartburg                         41 points
3. Loras                                 37 points
4. Central                             31 points
5. Dubuque                         22 points
6. Simpson                          14 points
7. Luther                               5 points
8. Coe                                    2 points
9. Buena Vista                   1 point    

 
Team Standings (Women)

1. Wartburg                         80 points
2. Central                             38.5 points
3. Nebraska Wesleyan  37.5 points
4. Loras                                 26 points
5. Simpson                          23 points
6. Dubuque                         20 points
7. Luther                               6 points
8. Coe                                    2 points
9. Buena Vista                   0 points 

 
Following day one, the Knights have two competitors in the top four of the heptathlon. Daniel Zietlow is in third place with 2538 points and Mitchell Darst is in fourth place with 2528 points. The heptathlon will resume tomorrow with the 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1000m scheduled to take place.
 
Grace Braden was the conference champion in the pentathlon with 3358 points, which is her first individual indoor conference title. Caitlin Benesh finished in second place with 3227 points to earn all-conference honors.  
 
Scoring Link
 
FIELD EVENTS
(M) Heptathlon (High Jump): Daniel Zietlow was a top three finisher. Zietlow led the Knights with a 1.83m 6-00.00 mark.
 
(M) Heptathlon (Long Jump): Mitchell Darst was the top finisher for the Knights. Darst finished fourth with a 6.09m 19-11.75 mark.
 
(M) Heptathlon (Shot Put): Daniel Zietlow finished in the top three to lead the Knights with a 11.53m 37-10.00 mark.
 
(W) Pentathlon (High Jump): The Knights had three of the top five finishers. Caitlin Benesh and Grace Braden were among the four competitors who tied for first with a 1.54m 5-00.50 mark. Jazmine Woode placed in the top five with a 1.51m 4-11.50 mark.
 
(W) Pentathlon (Long Jump): Grace Braden was victorious with a 5.18m 17-00.00 mark. Caitlin Benesh placed in the top five with a 4.97m 16-03.75 mark.  
 
(W) Pentathlon (Shot Put): Grace Braden earned a top three finish with a 10.17m 33-04.50 mark. Caitlin Benesh finished in fourth place with a 10.05m 32-11.75m mark.
 
(M) Long Jump: Elliott Bond was the conference champion in the long jump with a 7.01m 23-00.00 mark, which is his first individual conference title.
 
(W) Long Jump: Olivia Tollari was the conference champion in the long jump with a 5.67m 18-07.25 mark, which is her first individual conference title. Tollari ranks second on the program's top 10 list and stands 16^th on the TFRRS list for this season.
 
(M) Pole Vault: Daniel Zietlow was the top finisher for the Knights. Zietlow took sixth place with a 4.16m 13-07.75 mark.
 
(M) Shot Put: Eli Keahna was the top performer for the Knights. Keahna took ninth place with a 14.79m 48-06.25 mark,
 
(W) Shot Put: Abby Veld earned all-conference honors. Veld placed second with a 13.27m 43-06.50 mark.
 
RUNNING EVENTS
(M) Heptathlon (60m): Mitchell Darst was victorious with a time of 7.08. Seneca Molstre finished in the top five with a time of 7.42.
 
(W) Pentathlon (800m): Caitlin Benesh and Grace Braden were the top two finishers for the Knights. Benesh placed third with a time of 2:31.92 and Braden placed fifth with a time of 2:35.14.
 
(W) Pentathlon (60m Hurdles): Grace Braden won the event with a time of 8.99, which set a facility record. Caitlin Benesh finished in fourth place with a time of 9.50.
 
(M) 5000m: Eli Larson (14:36.11) placed second and Ander Julian (14:44.26) placed third to earn all-conference honors. Ayden Buchanan placed in the top five with a time of 14:50.40.
 
(W) 5000m: Lydia Maas was the conference champion with a time of 18:03.85, which is her first individual conference honor. Lily Peterson (18:09.84) and Karle Kramer (18:10.30) earned all-conference honors with their second and third place finishes, respectively. Meghan Zopel (18:27.62) and Claire Hoyer (18:29.38) followed to round out the top five.
 
(M) 60m Hurdles (Prelims): The Knights had two competitors advance to tomorrow's finals. Austin Rindels finished in the top five with a time of 8.31. Weston Johnson finished in seventh place with a time of 8.35. Johnson remains ninth on the program's top 10 list, but improves his time.
 
(W) 60m Hurdles (Prelims): The Knights had three competitors advance to tomorrow's finals. JoJo Tyynismaa finished in first place with a time of 8.77, which is a facility record. Grace Braden (8.93) finished in fourth place and Ryann Decker (9.24) finished in sixth place.
 
(M) 60m (Prelims): The Knights had three competitors advance to tomorrow's finals. AJ Wright (6.78) finished in first place, which breaks the program record. Wright broke his previous time of 6.83, which was set on January 17^th. Wright's performance shatters the facility and meet record. Wright stands 12^th on the TFRRS list for this season. Jimmy Weispfenning (6.88) finished in third place and Jordan Cleaves (7.02) finished in eighth place.
 
(W) 60m (Prelims): The Knights had two competitors advance to tomorrow's finals. JoJo Tyynismaa finish in first place with a time of 7.67, which is a facility record. Tyynismaa improves to third on the program's top 10 list and stands 19^th on the TFRRS list for this season. Ellasa Horton finished in seventh place with a time of 7.93.
 
RELAYS
(M) DMR: The Knights placed second with a time of 10:14.99. Connor Martin, Benjamin Roussell, Solomon Zaugg, and Gage Heyne earned all-conference honors.
 
(W) DMR: The Knights finished in second place with a time of 12:14.69. Haley Meyer, Leah Cherry, Isabella Skay, and Nadia Bowden earned all-conference honors.
 
2025-26 Wartburg School Records:
Anthony Weaver Jr, 14.71m (48-03.25) – (M) Triple Jump
Haley Meyer, 2:55.24 – (W) 1000m
Tyler Schermerhorn, 8:12.34 – (M) 3000m
Grace Braden, 3421 points – Pentathlon
Lance Sobaski, 4:05.15 – (M) Mile
Isaiah Hammerand, 14:07.41 – (M) 5000m
AJ Wright, 6.78 – (M) 60m

Top 10 Wartburg Men's 60m
1.    AJ Wright - 2026, 6.78
T2. Dallas Wright – 2022, 6.87
T2. Derrick Smith – 2021, 6.87
4.   Jimmy Weispfenning – 2026, 6.88
5.   Randy Williams – 2023, 6.89
6.   Ben Frazier – 2026, 6.91
7.   David Williams – 2026, 6.94
8.   Aidan Gruver – 2024, 6.95
T9. Denison Harrington – 2018, 6.96
T9. Riley Nolan – 2022, 6.96
 
Up Next:
The Knights will be back in action tomorrow for the final day of the American Rivers Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Decorah.