FARGO, N.D. (Dakota News Now) – For the 13th time in program history since joining the League, the North Dakota State Bison claimed both Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championship titles Saturday on their home turf inside the Terrence Dahl and Donna Beres Track Complex. The Bison men extended their League record and earned their 13th consecutive outdoor title while the women secured their 14th title in the last 15 years. 

Men’s Individual Awards:

Newcomer of the Championship: Mark-Anthony Daley, South Dakota

Field Championship MVP: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State

Track Championship MVP: Jacob Levin, North Dakota State

Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Koate Deebom, North Dakota State 

Women’s Individual Awards:

Newcomer of the Championship: Jasmine Williams, North Dakota State

Field Championship MVP: Meredith Clark, South Dakota

Track Championship MVP: Erin Kinney, South Dakota

Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Vanessa Gunderson, Omaha 

Notes on Individual Honorees:

North Dakota State’s Jasmine Williams was crowned the women’s Newcomer of the Championship after tallying 11 total points for the Bison. During the final day of competition, Williams started her day running a leg of the 4x100m relay that took runner-up honors in a time of 46.34. 

She then placed sixth in the 100m with a time of 12.08 and ended her first League championships with a third-place finish in the 200m (24.46). 

South Dakota’s Meredith Clark captured the women’s Field Championship MVP award with a total of 22 points. She opened the championship with a nine-foot personal best (192-4; 58.62m) on her final throw in the women’s hammer throw that secured her runner-up. On the second day of competition, she returned to the podium in the shot put. On her final throw of the finals, she tossed a mark of 49-02.25 (14.99m) to place third overall. Today she made her third and final appearance on the podium as she finished second in the discus. She took runner-up with a mark of 147-00 (44.82m). 

Coyote teammate Erin Kinney walked away with the women’s Track Championship MVP accolade with a total of 25 points and four gold medals around her neck. She captured her first gold medal of the day running on the 4x100m relay that took first in a time of 45.06. Her second first-place finish came in the 100m. Yesterday, she took down the 100m meet record after clocking a time of 11.41 in the prelims. Today she won the gold medal and bested her meet record from prelims after clocking a blistering 11.34. Her third gold medal came from the 200m after she crossed the finish line in 23.35. 

Kinney capped off her championship with a 4x400m relay medal. She ran a leg for the squad that took first in a meet-record time of 3:40.25.

South Dakota’s Mark-Anthony Daley was named the men’s Newcomer of the Championship after he collected 17.5 points for the Coyotes. On the final day of the championships, he opened his day running a leg of the 4x100m relay that took first in a time of 39.94. He then proceeded to take second in the 200m (21.02) and third in the 100m (10.49). He closed out the day in the 4x400m relay where he helped the Coyotes take fifth with a time of 3:16.41. 

NDSU’s Trevor Otterdahl became the first men’s student-athlete in Summit League history to collect back-to-back Outdoor Field Championship MVP honors. He won the honor after winning the hammer throw, the shot put and the discus. Otterdahl opened the championships defending his hammer throw title. He won the event on his final throw with a mark of 225-01 (68.62m). He claimed his second event crown yesterday with a career-best toss in the shot put (63-00.75; 19.22m). Today he completed his quest for his third gold medal by claiming the discus crown. His title came on his final throw (174-08; 53.24m). 

Fellow Bison, Jacob Levin was awarded the Track Championship MVP honor after garnering 22.5 total points for the Bison. He opened his championship day by collecting the gold medal in the 400m after clocking a lifetime best time of 46.61. His second gold medal of the day came in the 200m after he crossed the finish line in 20.93. Levin closed out the championship running a leg of the 4x400m relay squad that secured its third-consecutive event title in a time of 3:10.80.

Other Notable Performances:

To kick off the running events, South Dakota’s men’s 4x100m relay squad took home the gold medal for the second straight year. The relay team of Ardell Inlay, Ken-Mark Minkovski, Daley and Dylan Kautz took the top spot on the podium with a meet-record-tying time of 39.94. 

The Coyote women followed suit in the 4x100m relay. The squad of Samoya Neil, Jacy Pulse, Annalee Robinson and Kinney earned USD its second consecutive 4x100m women’s crown after crossing the finish line in 45.06. 

Kautz of South Dakota defended his 2022 title in the 100m. He won his second-consecutive title in the event with a time of 10.40. 

NDSU’s Jacob Rodin took down a 36-year-old meet record in the men’s 800m. He clocked an impressive 1:47.58 to take the event crown. The previous record was set back in 1987 by Jim Maton of Eastern Illinois (1:49.01). 

SDSU’s Reid Pierzinski three-peated in the men’s 400m hurdles. He won his third consecutive crown after crossing the finish line in 51.55. 

USD’s Pulse defended her 400m hurdles title. She stood atop the podium with a winning time of 58.70. 

South Dakota State’s Joseph Minor-Williams won the 5,000m in a meet-record time of 14:21.01. 

Fellow Jackrabbit Leah Hansen notched her third-consecutive 5,000m crown. She finished in a time of 16:48.42 to claim the title. 

The North Dakota State men’s 4x400m relay team consisting of Josh Knutson, Cullen Curl, Levin and Rodin clocked a 3:10.80 to bring home NDSU’s third-consecutive event title. 

The South Dakota Coyote women’s 4x400m relay squad of Annalee Robinson, Madison Jochum, Kinney and Pulse clocked a meet-record time of 3:40.25 to take home USD’s third consecutive relay title.

Men’s Champions Crowned:

Pole Vault: Marshall Faurot, South Dakota | 18-00.50 (5.50m)

Discus Throw: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State | 174-08 (53.24m)

Triple Jump: Benjamin Owere, Kansas City | 49-03.00 (15.01m)

4x100m Relay: South Dakota | 39.94

1,500m: Ben Olson, South Dakota State | 3:47.48

110m Hurdles: Hugo Morvan, South Dakota | 13.79

400m: Jacob Levin, North Dakota State | 46.61

100m: Dylan Kautz, South Dakota | 10.40

800m: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State | 1:47.58

400m Hurdles: Reid Pierzinski, South Dakota State | 51.55

200m: Jacob Levin, North Dakota State | 20.93

5,000m: Joseph Minor-Williams, South Dakota State | 14:21.01

4x400m: North Dakota State | 3:10.80 

Women’s Champions Crowned:

Discus Throw: Lydia Knapp, South Dakota | 170-09 (52.06m)

Triple Jump: Alissa Melvin, North Dakota State | 40-11.75 (12.49m)

4x100m Relay: South Dakota | 45.06

1,500m: Ally Ryan, Kansas City | 4:22.09

100m Hurdles: Terezia Bolibruch, North Dakota State | 13:45

400m: Nell Graham, North Dakota State | 53.93

100m: Erin Kinney, South Dakota | 11.34

800m: Adrena Mazzei, Oral Roberts | 2:09.83

400m Hurdles: Jacy Pulse, South Dakota | 58.70

200m: Erin Kinney, South Dakota | 23.35

5,000m: Leah Hansen, South Dakota State | 16:48.42

4x400m: South Dakota | 3:40.25

Up Next:

The top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into their respective events in the West Region. For each relay event, the top 24 declared relay teams will be accepted into the competition. For the heptathlon and decathlon, the top 24 declared student-athletes in each event based on their position on the national descending-order list will be accepted directly into the Championships.  

The NCAA West Preliminary will take place on May 24-27 hosted by California State University at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, Calif. The NCAA will officially announce qualifiers in the future.

Recap courtesy of The Summit League.

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