For Immediate Release
Thursday, March 22, 2018
NSIC Media Relations

University of Mary selected as preseason favorite in NSIC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coaches' Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The defending NSIC Indoor Track & Field Champions of the University of Mary were picked to win the NSIC in the preseason women's outdoor track & field coaches' poll. The Marauders received 12 first place votes and tallied 192 points, ranking them ahead of Minnesota State (183) and Augustana (168).  Minnesota State received two first  place votes, while Winona State was picked fourth, received a first place vote and 151 points.

Wayne State's Michaela Dendinger was selected as the preseason field athlete of the year while UMary's Alexis Zeis was named the preseason track athlete of the year. Both athletes were the named indoor preseason athletes of the year this past fall as well as athletes of the year this past indoor season.

The 2017-18 NSIC outdoor track & field season gets underway in the end of March with the regular season culminating on Friday-Saturday, May 11-12 at the NSIC Championship held at Paul Giel Field in Winona, Minnesota, hosted by Winona State University.  The NSIC multis will take place two weeks prior on April 29-30 at Clark Swisher Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
 

2017-18 NSIC Women's ODTF Preseason Coaches' Poll

Alexis Zeis (Distance, Sr., Bismarck, N.D. / Bismarck HS)
University of Mary
- 3-time national champion and 12-time All-American
- Won both the 5K and the 10K at the 2017 NSIC outdoor championships
- Placed fifth in the nation at the 2017 NCAA outdoor championships in the 10K
- Fresh off leading the Marauders to the 2018 NSIC Indoor Championship
- Won three events and finished as the high scorer at indoor championship
- 2018 USTFCCCA Women’s Central Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year
- Won the 2018 NCAA indoor title in the 5K to win back-to-back titles and was second in the 3K
- Led Marauders to a runner-up finish at the 2017 NCAA cross country championships and 4th place at the 2018 NCAA indoor championships, both program-highs
 
Michaela Dendinger (Throws, Sr. Coleridge, Neb. / Hartington HS)
Wayne State
- NSIC Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2017
- NSIC Champion last year in hammer throw, shot put and discus
- Six-time NSIC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week last season
- 2018 NSIC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year
- 2018 NSIC Indoor Champion in shot put and weight throw
- Seven-time All-American and 2017 Outdoor NCAA Champion in shot put
- Was national champion in shot put, second in hammer throw and sixth in discus at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships
 

Augustana University Vikings

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
4th	3rd
Team Preview
The Viking women look to build off a strong indoor season heading into the outdoor campaign. Augustana returns national qualifier and All-NSIC performer, Valerie (Moos) Gildemaster who went to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 400-meter hurdles last season. Gildemaster also was an All-NSIC performer in the 4x400-meter relay. The Vikings two athletes to watch haven’t competed for Augustana in an outdoor season yet, but had impressive indoor seasons. Emily Tromp earned All-American honors in the distance medley relay during the indoor season and Callie DeWitt broke the school record in the 60-meters and earned All-NSIC honors in both the long jump and 60-meters. Other Vikings to keep an eye on this outdoor season include Mackenzie Kelly (distance), Carly Rahn (mid-distance) and Cassidy Soli (mid-distance).
Athletes to Watch
Emily Tromp (Mid-Distance, So., Hibbing, Minn. / Hibbing) Callie DeWitt (Jumps, Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / O’Gorman)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at Mustang Open, Marshall, Minn.

Bemidji State University Beavers

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
12th	12th
Team Preview
The Bemidji State track and field team will be led into action by the program’s Athletes to Watch, freshmen Cheri’A Adams and Venice Stewart. Adams, a participant in jumping events, set career-best marks in the triple jump (36-9.75), long jump (17-4.75) and high jump (4-7.50) during the indoor season. Stewart, a sprinter, took seventh in the 200m dash at this past seasons NSIC Indoor Championship. She set a career-best and broke BSU’s program record in the 60m dash with a time of 7.71 this past indoor season. Head coach Kevin Kean, entering his third season with BSU, is expecting promise from the hammer throw and 4x100m events. Junior Samara Tobeck and sophomore Gena Baklund will lead the way in the hammer throw, as both set personal records of over 150 feet last outdoor season. Junior Christa Benson and sophomore Kristen Petron were a part of BSU’s 4x100m relay team that set a program season-best mark of 52.01 at the 2017 NSIC Outdoor Championships.
Athletes to Watch
Venice Stewart (100m/200m, Fr., West Palm Beach, Fla. / Palm Beach Gardens) Cheri’A Adams (Triple Jump/Long Jump, Fr., Wauwatosa, Wis. / Wauwatosa West)
First Event
Thursday, March 29 at Central Invitational Friday, March 30 at Central Invitational

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
11th	8th
Team Preview
The Golden Bears women head into the outdoor season after claiming an eighth place finish in the NSIC Indoor Championships just a few weeks ago. Concordia’s indoor season was highlighted by a pair of multi-event athletes as Kalle Burney and Wakpor Ighovojah were both named All-Americans in the pentathlon. At the NCAA meet, Burney became the first CSP track and field athlete earn First Team All-America honors as he took fourth while Ighovojah took 12th to become the program’s first ever two-time All-American after earning the honor in the same event last season. In addition to those two major pieces, the Golden Bears also had two more athletes who scored points in the NSIC Indoor Championships. Erika Shady grabbed four points in the pole vault with a fourth place finish while Toni Canfall chipped in four points of her own in the 60 meter dash.
Athletes to Watch
Maddy Kunshier (Sprints, Jr., North Branch, Minn. / North Branch) Kalle Burney (Multi-Event, Sr., Minneapolis, Minn. / St. Croix Lutheran)
First Event
Thursday-Friday, March 29-30 at Dutch Invitational (Central College)

University of Mary Marauders

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
2nd	1st
Team Preview
After winning seven Northern Sun outdoor championships in their first nine seasons in the league, the Marauders fell just short the last two seasons but should challenge for the title again in 2018. UMary looks to build off its conference indoor championship in February and a 4th place finish at the NCAA championships a couple weeks ago. Alexis Zeis, a three time national champion, is the defending outdoor champion in both the 10K and 5K. The senior is fresh off winning three titles at the NSIC indoor meet and a national title in the 5K. Freshman D’Andra Morris made an immediate impact on the conference by winning the indoor triple jump title. All-American Tonie-Ann Pandohie owns the NSIC 100 meter hurdles record but took second to teammate Maria Bolibruch last year and both return for the Marauders. Three members of the Marauders record-setting 4x400 meter relay team from last year of Julia Hammerschmidt, Nelecia Richards and Nicolyn Brown are back. Other outdoor all-conference returners include Emma Hafdahl (Steeple chase) and Bree Erickson (1,500). Additionally Jaiden Schuette and Kaycie Stewart earned all-conference honors indoors in distance events.
Athletes to Watch
Alexis Zeis (Distance, Sr., Bismarck, N.D. / Bismarck) D'Andra Morris (Jumps, Fr., Kingston, Jamaica / St. Mary's)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at Southwest Minnesota State Open

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
5th	5th
Team Preview
UMD, under the direction of ninth-year head coach Joanna Warmington retains the services of 33 letterwinners for the outdoor season. Headlining that group is reigning NCAA II outdoor 1,500-meter champion (who won that event as well as the 800-meter title at the 2017 NSIC outdoors). Other NSIC outdoor point producers from a year ago that are back include All-American Danielle Kohlwey (100-meter and 200-meter dash), Amber Seidenkranz (3,000-meter steeplechase), Abby Moore (5,000-meter run), Cassidy Baker (javelin), Melissa Drenckhahn (10,000-meter run), Allie Stalboerger (4 x 400 and 4 x 100-meter relay) Paige DuBois (4 x 400-meter relay), Elizabeth Kyes (4 x 400-meter relay), and Erica Kesseh (4 x 100-meter relay). In addition, freshman Alexandra Headley is expected to be a factor in both throwing events (hammer and shot put).
Athletes to Watch
Danielle Kohlwey (Springs/Hurdles, Jr., Holmen, Wis. / Holmen) Alexadra Headley (Shot Put, So., Plano, Texas / Plano)
First Event
Saturday, April 7 at Hamline Invitational  (St. Paul, Minn.) – 9 a.m.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
3rd	2nd
Team Preview
Minnesota State will look to improve upon their third place NSIC Championship finish this season with several top athletes returning to the program.  Afure Adah, a junior from Moorhead, Minn., looks to defend her NSIC Outdoor Track & Field Meet championships in the 100m dash, an event she also finished sixth in at nationals to earn All-American Honors.  Also returning for the Mavericks is Khadiya Hollingsworth who is a former All-American in the high jump and finished second in the NSIC Outdoor Track & Field Championship last season.
Athletes to Watch
Afure Ada (Sprints, Jr., Moorhead, Minn. / Shanley) Khadiya Hollingsworth (Jumps, Jr., Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield East)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at Mustang Open

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
7th Place	10th
Team Preview
Junior Emily Waletzko was All-NSIC indoors in the weight throw and will lead the throwing corps for the Dragon women. Senior sprinter Judith Robinson had a solid indoor season and will look to continue that outdoors.  Two members of the MSUM Distance Medley Relay team that won the first-ever Dragon title at the Drake Relays return in Robinson and junior Marissa Carlson.
Athletes to Watch
Judith Robinson (Sprints, Sr., Essendon, Victoria, Australia) Emily Waletzko (Throws, Jr., Cold Spring, Minn. / Rocori)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at Mustang Invite, Marshall

Minot State University Beavers

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
15th	15th
Team Preview
Minot State enters their first season under the direction of head coach Mark Del Monaco after placing 15th in the 2017 NSIC Outdoor Championships. The Beavers finished 15th as a team in the NSIC Indoor Championships in late February. Minot State is led by Samantha Huether and Amber Hunsaker. Huether competed in the 1,500m, 3K, 5K and steeplechase last season while placing 19th in the steeplechase in the 2017 NSIC Outdoor Championships. Hunsaker did not compete last season due to injury, but placed fourth in the javelin at the 2016 NSIC Outdoor Championships. Hunsaker also qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships with a provisional qualifying throw of 44.52 meters. The Beavers open the outdoor season on Friday, March 30 at the Southwest Minnesota State Mustang Open in Marshall, Minn.
Athletes to Watch
Samantha Huether (Steeplechase, Sr., Minot, N.D. / Minot) Amber Hunsaker (Javelin, So., Thompson, N.D. / Thompson)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at SMSU Mustang Open

Northern State University Wolves

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
6th	7th
Team Preview
Northern State are coming off a seventh place NSIC Indoor Championships finish, while sending one to the NCAA Championships. The NSU women tallied eight school record breaking performances in 2017 in the 100m, 200m, 10,000m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m. Despite an injury prior to nationals, Hanneke Oosterwegel will be back in the saddle for the second half of the year after breaking indoor records in the 60m hurdles on multiple occasions. The junior earned the first All-American honors of her career in 2017 finishing as the national runner-up in the 400m hurdles with a time of 58.07. The Wolves also return 9-time All-American Sasha Hovind in the distance events. Hovind did not compete in the 2017 outdoor season, but grabbed All-American honors in the 5,000m and 10,000m runs from the 2016 NCAA Championships. She was nabbed as the Northern State track athlete to watch, alongside field athlete, Jordan Menken. Menken opens the second half of her freshman career after finishing fifth overall in the shotput from the NSIC Indoor Championships. Oosterwegel, Hovind, Menken, and the Wolves kick off competition Friday the 30th from the SMSU Mustang Open.
Athletes to Watch
Sasha Hovind (Distance, R-Sr., Stirum, N.D. / North Sargent) Jordan Menken (Throws, Fr., Custer, S.D. / Custer)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at SMSU Mustang Open

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
10th	6th
Team Preview
University of Sioux Falls Women’s Track & Field enters the 2018 outdoor season after their highest finish at the NSIC Indoor Championships in March. Led by indoor season Newcomer of the Year in freshman Taryn Ceglowski and two-time NSIC women’s pole vault champion Kimberly Peterson, the Cougars scored 44 points and placed sixth at the indoor championships. Cegwloski broke three indoor records and ran the anchor leg on a record-breaking distance medley relay. Peterson won her third NSIC pole vault title and finished national runner-up at the NCAA Championships. Jaimie McNamee was All-NSIC in the women’s weight throw and she is already the USF record holder in the discus as just a sophomore. Emma Hertz broke USF’s indoor shot put record and joins McNamee as part of USF’s talented and deep throws squad that also features All-NSIC javelin thrower Miranda Phipps. Chloe Peterson and Sarah Troescher headline USF’s young and talented sprints group.
Athletes to Watch
Taryn Ceglowski (Mid-Distance, Fr., Salida, Colo. / Salida) Jaimie McNamee (Throws, So., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at SMSU Mustang Open – Marshall, Minn.

Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
14th	13th
Team Preview
The Southwest Minnesota State women’s outdoor track & field team will look to improve on its 14th place finish at the 2017 NSIC Championships. Senior Kim Shabino scored all four points for SMSU last season placing seventh in both the 100 and 200 meters. Shabino holds the school record in both the 100 and 200 meters. Senior Hannah Palmeter returns for the outdoor season after redshirting in 2017. She was an All-NSIC performer during the 2015 cross country season. Freshman Rebecca Manteuffel had an outstanding 2018 indoor season as she set the school record in the weight throw and has the third best mark in school history in the shot put.
Athletes to Watch
Kim Shabino (Sprints, Sr., Spencer, Iowa / Spencer) Rebecca Manteuffel (Throws, Fr., Cologne, Minn. / Mayer Lutheran)
First Event
Friday, March 30, SMSU Mustang Invite

St. Cloud State University Huskies

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
9th	11th
Team Preview
The Huskies, who finished ninth in the NSIC during outdoor track and field season in the spring of 2017, are a young squad with 24 freshmen and sophomores on the roster.  The program will count on redshirt freshman sprinter Emelia Burris as the team’s Outdoor Track Athlete to Watch as well as senior multi-athlete Natalie Gottschalk, selected as the Outdoor Field Athlete to Watch, to lead the team. Gottschalk was a Second Team All-American during the 2018 indoor season in finishing ninth nationally in the pentathlon. She also won the 2018 NSIC Indoor Pentathlon. Also returning is sophomore sprinter Bailee Brazerol, who had the team’s top times in the outdoor 100m (12.13) and the 200m (25.97) last season. The distance group will be led by sophomore Autum Shurbert-Hetzel, who had the team’s top 3,000m steeplechase time last season (12:05.68). The team’s top returning thrower is sophomore Dominique Buechel, who had the squad’s top marks in the discus (46.02m) and the hammer throw (44.22m) during outdoor season last year.
Athletes to Watch
Emelia Burris (Sprints/Jumps, R-Fr., Wood Dale, Ill. / Fenton) Natalie Gottschalk (Multi/Jumps, Sr., Waukesha, Wis . / Waukesha South)
First Event
Friday, March 30 at Southwest Minnesota State

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
13th	14th
Team Preview
The Peacocks will look to build on the momentum they gained during the indoor season. Upper Iowa completed a record-setting season that featured school records and team-firsts. For the first time in program history the team scored points at the NSIC Indoor Championships, and five Peacocks earned All-NSIC honors. Upper Iowa scored nine points as a team, placing 12th at the championships led by Kenzie Soeken (multi), Brinn Grunder (thorws), and the 4x400 team featuring Breyanna Hill, Erica Kelly, Soeken and Kristin Culp. Culp and Caitlin Himes, who scored points for UIU by placing fourth in the discus throw last year during the NSIC Outdoor Track Championships.
Athletes to Watch
Kristin Culp (100h, Fr., Stuart, Iowa / West Central Valley) Caitlin Himes (Throws, So., Tipton, Iowa, Tipton)
First Event
Saturday, March 24 at Wildcat Open (Culver-Stockton) in Canton, Mo.

Wayne State College Wildcats

2017 NSIC Championship Finish	2018 Preseason Poll
8th	9th
Team Preview
Wayne State College will be especially strong in the throws again this year with the return of 2017 NCAA Outdoor three-time All-American Michaela Dendinger, who is the reigning national champion in the shot put to go with a second place finish in the hammer throw and sixth place finish in the discus.  She is also the defending NSIC champion in all three events and was last year’s NSIC Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year.  Other Wildcats expected to shine in the throws include senior Kacie O’Connor (fifth-discus) and sophomore Tia Jones (sixth-shot put).  Graduate student Mary Alderson is the top returning runner for the Wildcats and is strong in the long sprints and middle distance categories and is coming off an eighth place finish in the 600-meter dash at the NSIC Indoor Championships.
Athletes to Watch
Mary Alderson (Sprints, Gr. North Bend, Neb. / Archbishop Bergan) Michaela Dendinger (Throws, Sr., Coleridge, Neb. / Hartington Public)
First Event
Thursday, March 22nd Wayne State College Outdoor Classic

Winona State University Warriors