MINNESOTA STATE SELECTED IN NSIC MEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The nine-time defending NSIC Champions of Minnesota State University, Mankato were picked to win the NSIC in the preseason men's indoor track & field coaches' poll. The Mavericks received 10 first place votes and tallied 120 points, ranking them ahead of Augustana, which was second with 112 points and the other two place votes.

Augustana's Tyl Woelber (field) and MSU Moorhead Nadir Yusuf (track) were selected as the preseason athletes of the year. Woelber, named the preseason field athlete for the second year in a row,  is coming off a year where is he earned USTFCCCA All-America honors in the heptathlon and high jump, and was High Point Performer from last year’s NSIC Championships after winning the heptathlon and placing second in both the long and triple jump. Yusuf is the reigning NSIC 3000m champion and finished second in the 5000m last season, after winning the event in 2019. 

The 2020-21 NSIC indoor track & field season gets underway in January with the regular season culminating on Friday-Saturday, February 26-27 at the NSIC Championship held at Myers Fieldhouse in Mankato, Minnesota, hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato.

• NSIC 3000m Indoor Champion in 2020
• All-NSIC in 5K as well; set school record of 14:39.43 earlier in season
• Won NSIC championship in 5K indoors in 2019

• Earned USTFCCCA All-America honors in the heptathlon and high jump
• High Point Performer from last year’s NSIC Championships
• Won the heptathlon and placed second in both the long and triple jump at the NSIC Championships last year
• Qualified for NCAA Indoor Championships in the heptathlon and high jump

NSIC TEAM PREVIEWS & PLAYERS TO WATCH

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

Last season, the Vikings finished their indoor track & field season second in the NSIC. The men have added 12 freshmen to their 2020-21 roster and return 28 athletes, including five seniors. Junior Tyl Woelber returns as the NSIC High Point Performer from last year’s championships where he totaled 34 points while winning the heptathlon, placed second in the triple and long jumps. The 2019-20 Preseason NSIC Field Athlete of the Year also placed fourth in the high jump and sixth in the 60m hurdles. Austin Miller, a graduate student, returns as the NSIC record holder in the 800m with a time of 1:51.78. The Vikings return nine of the 13 point scorers from last year’s championships who tallied 121.5 points while finishing second. 

Austin Miller (Mid-Distance, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington  HS) - Augustana University

• Earned USTFCCCA All-America honors in the 800-meter
• Won the 800m at the NSIC Championships
• NSIC record holder in the 800m at 1:51.78
• Earned USTFCCCA All-Central Region honors in the 800-meter and was the top regional performer in the event
• Qualified for NCAA indoor Championships in the 800m

Tyl Woelber (Multi/Jumps, Jr., Pipestone, Minn. /  Pipestone Area HS) - Augustana University

• Earned USTFCCCA All-America honors in the heptathlon and high jump
• High Point Performer from last year’s NSIC Championships
• Won the heptathlon and placed second in both the long and triple jump at the NSIC Championships last year
• Qualified for NCAA Indoor Championships in the heptathlon and high jump

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL 

The Concordia-St. Paul men’s track and field team is coming off a 2020 indoor season that saw them finish eighth at the NSIC Indoor Championship in Mankato with a total of 45 points. CSP was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll with 61 points, just three less than the seventh place Sioux Falls Cougars. The track athlete to watch this season for the Golden Bears is distance runner Isaiah Winowiski. The sophomore recorded a PR in the 3000 at the 2019 NSIC Indoor Championships with a time of 9:14.14, landing him in 24th place. Winowiski was also a part of the 4x400 team that took ninth place at the NSIC Indoor Challenge (Feb 15) with a time of 3:40.42. The field athlete to watch for the Bears this season is Jakob Tordsen. The senior set a personal best in the heptathlon finishing seventh while scoring 4625 at the 2019 NSIC Track and Field Indoor Championship. Tordsen also recorded a personal best in the high jump with a jump of 1.89m while finishing in fifth place at the Ted Nelson Classic. This year’s team also includes 17 new freshmen. 

Isaiah Winowiski (Distance, So., Mosinee, Wis. / DC Everest HS) -  Concordia University, St. Paul

• Set a personal record in the one mile at the Ted Nelson Classic with a time of 4:38.19
• Recorded a PR in the 3000 at the NSIC Indoor Championships with a time of 9:14.14
• Was a part of the 4x400 team that took 9th place at the NSIC Indoor Challenge with a time of 3:40.42

Jakob Tordsen (Heptathlon, Jr., Wausau, Wis. / Wausau West HS) - Concordia University, St. Paul

• Placed ninth in the javelin at the 2019 NSIC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a 51.44m throw 
• Set a personal best in the heptathlon finishing seventh while scoring 4625 at the 2019 NSIC Track and Field Indoor Championship
• Recorded a personal best in the high jump with a jump of 1.89m while finishing in fifth place at the Ted Nelson Classic

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

Following the graduation of several strong performers, including two-time All-American high jumper Shenley Allen, the University of Mary men’s track & field team will rely on the continued growth of a solid core. Leading the Marauders efforts on the track is Northern Sun champion Logan Myers. A senior from Gillette Wyo., Myers won the 200 meter dash at the 2020 NSIC indoor championships in an NCAA provisional-qualifying effort. The Marauders look for junior Brady Erickson to key the team’s efforts in field events. The Cody, Wyo., native was the runner-up in the long jump at the 2019 NSIC indoor championships. Erickson also made an impact as a member of the Marauders 3rd place 4x400 meter relay team at the 2020 NSIC indoor championships and scored a point in the 200 meter dash. Jesse Kaas also earned All-NSIC honors last winter after placing third in the 3,000 meter run as a sophomore. Cory Myers owns a pair of NSIC all-conference citations in his career, leading UMary’s Distance Medley Relay team to a runner-up finish at the 2019 indoor championships and placed second in the 800 meter run later that spring at the outdoor championships. He finished fourth in the 600 at the conference meet last February. Other Marauders returning who placed at the 2020 NSIC indoor meet include Dawson Strom (distance), Tim Moore (distance) and Jeremiah Morrisette (sprints).  

Logan Myers (200m, Sr., Gillette, Wyo. / Campbell County HS) -  University of Mary

• 2020 NSIC Indoor 200 meter champion
• Also ran a leg on the Marauders 4x400 meter relay team that placed 3rd indoors in 2020
• Posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 200 last winter

Brady Erickson (Long Jump, Jr., Cody, Wyo. / Cody HS) - University of Mary

• Runner-up in the long jump at the 2019 NSIC Indoor Championships
• Ran a leg on the Marauders 3rd place 4x400 meter relay at the 2020 indoor championships
• Also scored a point in the 200 meter dash at the conference indoor championships last winter 

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s indoor track and field team is looking to improve upon the season it had a year ago. The Bulldogs finished seventh at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships last year. Highlighting that group are 12 top-8 finishers at the NSIC Championships from a year ago. Among those 12 are senior Christian Leonard, who is one of this year’s player to watch for UMD, and for good reason. Leonard was an All-NSIC performer at the meet, placing third in the mile run (4:18.57) and fourth in the 800-meter run (1:57.65). Leonard was also able to make a first-place finish at the Lake Superior Challenge last year in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:32.96. Senior Ian O’Connor has also been pegged as another athlete to watch. O’Connor placed first last season in the Bulldogs debut at “The Opener” in the high jump (6’-04.75”). This was O’Connor’s second consecutive year winning the event. Both Leonard and O’Connor received All-NSIC Spring honors last season and Fall this season, with Leonard making both Fall and Winter teams as well. Both athletes as well received D2 ADA Academic achievement awards.

Christian Leonard (Mile/800, Sr., Elk River, Minn. / Elk River HS) - University of Minnesota Duluth

• Ran a mile at the NSIC Indoor T&F Championships in 4:18.57 (3rd place)
• Also took 4th in the 800m run with a time of 1:57.65
• Placed 1st in 1,000m with a time of 2:32.96 in the Lake Superior Challenge
• Made the NSIC All-Academic team for all of Fall, Winter and Spring of 2019-2020, as well as Fall 2020
• Received D2 ADA Academic Achievement award in 2020

Ian O’Connor (Multis, Sr., Savage, Minn. / Prior Lake HS) - University of Minnesota Duluth

• Placed 1st in high jump with 6’04”.75 at St. Scholastica’s “The Opener” for the second straight year
• Received D2 ADA Academic Achievement award in 2020
• Finished eighth in the heptathlon as a sophomore 

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

The Minnesota State men’s indoor track and field program will take aim at its tenth consecutive NSIC Indoor Championship this season. The Mavericks were picked to finish first in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, earning 10 first-place votes. Last season, MSU took first place in the NSIC Indoor Championship after winning nine events and earning 213.5 points as a team, 93 more points than second place finisher Augustana. The Mavericks will see six student-athletes return who qualified for the NCAA Championships last season, including Deveyonn Brown, Caleb Kath and Connor McCormick who earned all-region honors. Last season Brown’s best mark in the high jump, a leap of (2.19m-7-02.25), ranked second best in DII and is the third best mark in MSU history. Kath posted a long jump of (7.48m-24-06.50) which ranked eighth in DII last year and is the 4th best jump in MSU history. McCormick had a season best weight throw of (20.42m-67-00.00) which ranked seventh in DII last year and ranks 2nd in MSU history.

Josh Phelps (Sprints. Sr., Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater HS) - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Was an Indoor First-Team All-American in the 4x400m relay
• Returning NSIC Champion in the 400m 
• Runner up at NSIC Championship in 200m 

Deveyonn Brown (High Jump, Sr., Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake HS) - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• NSIC Champion in the high jump
• Was ranked No. 1 in division II during 2020 indoor season

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD

The MSUM men’s indoor track and field team returns a talented nucleus, led by senior distance runner Nadir Yusuf, junior high jumper Chris Cook and sophomore jumper Shyrone Kemp. Yusuf, the preseason NSIC Track Athlete of the Year, has two NSIC championships in his track career. He won the 3K indoors last year and finished second in the 5K. Cook is a three-time All-American in the high jump and won the NSIC indoor and outdoor title in the event in 2019. Kemp was the 2020 NSIC Indoor Newcomer of the Year after winning the triple jump and finishing third in the high jump and long jump. He is the MSUM school record holder in the triple jump. Junior sprinters Ty Dawkins and Shaquiel Higgs will also look to be factors. The Dragons will also look for contributions from its distance running group. 

Nadir  Yusuf  (Distance, Sr., Willmar, Minn. / Willmar HS) - Minnesota State University Moorhead

• NSIC 3000m Indoor Champion in 2020
• All-NSIC in 5K as well; set school record of 14:39.43 earlier in season
• Won NSIC championship in 5K indoors in 2019

Shyrone Kemp (Jumps, So., Jones Town, Bahamas/ Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy) - Minnesota State University Moorhead

• NSIC Indoor Newcomer of the Year
• National qualifier and All-American in triple jump indoors 
• Set school record of 49-9 1/4 indoors last February at SDSU

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

After signing the largest class in the tenure of Head Coach Mark Del Monaco with 29 signees in July of 2020, the Beavers return a talented and deep roster to the track for the 2021 Track and Field season.  The Beavers men’s track and field team features sophomore Jacob Jensen who holds the third-fastest time in the mile in Minot State’s Division II history (4:24.65) as well as being named to the NSIC Elite 18 All-Academic team in the fall. 

Senior Nick Merillana returns looking to continue to climb up the record books as he sits with the 7th-fastest time in the 800 and the 4th-fastest time in the mile since MSU joined NCAA DII. 

Senior Logan Krueger returns to lead a throws roster that also paved a new path for MSU track & field last season. Krueger finished in 8th place in the shot put at the 2020 NSIC Indoors Championships and is the school record holder in the shot put. 

Talented newcomers that Head Coach Mark Del Monaco believes will have an immediate impact are: Chase Tandy (Jr., transfer from Kentucky State); Joseph Green (Fy., Yigo, Guam); Sam Kreins (Jr., transfer from Concordia Irvine); Nate Trujillo-Aragon (Fy., Brighton, Colo.).

The Beavers have been preparing with excitement for the upcoming season and are ready for the challenges that lie ahead. In a year full of uncertainty, the MSU men’s track & field team have made its work ethic a consistency with the goal of climbing to the top of the NSIC in 2021. 

Trestin Mancillas-Finnerty (800m/Mile, Gr., Lansing, Mich. / Waverly HS) - Minot State University

• Prior to Minot State, attended Northwood University where he recorded the mile record and was named All-Conference and All-Region. Finished in the top-5 in 22 races during his college career at Northwood University
• (Northwood University) In 2020, won the Mile run in the Hillsdale “Wide-Track” Classic with a time of 4:13.18
• Won the 800m run at the Knight Open in 2018 with a time of 1:59.21

Hunter Clark (Shot Put/Weight Throw, So., Great Falls, Mont. / Charles M. Russell HS) - Minot State University

• Placed in the top-25 in multiple competitions last season; finished 12th in the weight throw at the UND Open; and 13th in the Shot Put. 
• Recorded the seventh-longest distance in DII program history in the weight throw in 2020 (14.27) 
• Posted the fourth-longest distance in DII program history in the shot put in 2020 (12.61) 

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

The Northern State men’s track and field team took fourth from the NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2020. The fourth place finish by the men was the highest for the program since the 2009-10 season. Isaiha Fletcher, Bryce Malsam, Devin Sheridan, and Tanner Berg earned all-conference accolades for the Wolves. Berg won the first NSIC Championship of his career in the weight throw and advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championships as the top seed. In addition, Malsam earned himself at spot at the championships in the heptathlon. Fletcher broke the school record in the 200m and 300m dash, while Berg broke his own school record in the weight throw. The Wolves return 28 from last year’s roster and welcome 13 to the squad in 2020-21. 

Jackson Harrison (Distance, Jr., Aberdeen, S.D. / Central HS) - Northern State University

• Placed 7th in the 5000m at NSIC Championships in 2019-20
• Tallied indoor personal bests in the mile (4:32.05), 5000m (15:17.97), and 3000m (8:52.59) a season ago
• Record five top-10 finishes with one event victory

Tanner Berg (Weight Throw/Shot Put, Sr., Watertown, S.D. / Watertown HS) - Northern State University

• 2020 NSIC Champion in the weigh throw
• Qualified as the top seed for the NCAA Championships in the weight throw
• Earned All-Region and All-American honors from the USTFCCCA

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS

The University of Sioux Falls Men’s Indoor Track and Field Squad will be led by a solid group in the sprints, jumps, throws and middle and long distance. Directed by Head Coach Doug Petersen, the Cougars, which has been picked seventh in the NSIC Coaches Preseason Poll, will be led in the throws by Patrick Hagan, a senior, who was sixth in the weight throw and had a top-10 finish in the shot put at the NSIC Championships in 2019. USF’s Athlete to Watch Logan Hansen, an eight-time Academic All-NSIC performer, was a member of USF’s winning distance medley relay at the NSIC Indoor Championships and placed in the top 11 in three events at those same championships. USF will also receive contributions from junior sprinter Nate Andrusick, who was Academic All-NSIC a year ago and placed 11th at the NSIC Championships in the 60-meters. Eight times he placed in the sprints in the top-eight a year ago. USF will also have strength in the mid-long distance races from David Ecker and Aaron Voight. Ecker is a six-time NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honoree who has finished in the top-eight 10 times with an individual title. He and Voigt, a three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, were members of the 2018 NSIC Men’s XC team. Voigt has one relay title and eight times finished in top-eight in mid-distance events. And, Steven Miner, who had three top-eight finishes and was 11th at the NSIC Indoor Championships in the high jump a year ago, will also add strength to the squad.

Logan Hansen (Mid-Distance, Sr., Hurley, S.D. / Viborg Hurley HS) - University of Sioux Falls

• Member of USF’s winning distance medley relay quad at the NSIC Indoor Championships in 2020
• Placed in the top 11 in three events at the NSIC Indoor Meet and helped Cougars finish sixth
• An eight-time Academic All-NSIC selection, Hansen had nine top-10 finishes and four top-five finishes a year ago 
• Also a member of the 2018 NSIC Cross Country Championship team

Patrick Hagan (Throws, Jr., Austin, Minn. /Austin HS) - University of Sioux Falls

• Placed sixth with a personal best in the weight throw (17.26M – 56-7.25 feet) and a personal-best 10th in the shot put (14.74M – 48-4.5 feet) at the NSIC Indoor Championships in 2019
• Has recorded 10 top-eight finishes in the throws during his career

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

The Southwest Minnesota State men’s indoor track & field team will look to improve its finish at the 2021 NSIC Indoor Championships following three straight seasons of a recording a 10th place finish. SMSU second-year head coach Kirk Naumann continues to build the program with a strong nucleus of 13 true freshmen. 

The Mustangs will have a fairly young team in 2021, but do feature several strong returning letter winners that will compete for points at the NSIC Championships. 

Senior Connor Wigand leads the team this winter after placing second at the NSIC Championships in the shot put last season with a toss of 16.2m to earn All-NSIC accolades. He also placed seventh at last season’s conference championship with a mark of 17.38m.

Senior Isaiah Nelson will look to contend for a podium spot after earning a 10th place finish in the triple jump at last year’s conference indoor meet and placing 19th in the long jump. Sophomore sprinter Renald Pierre returns following a solid 10th place finish in the 60 meter hurdles in last year’s championship. 

Isaiah Nelson (Sprints/Jumps, Sr., Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson HS) - Southwest Minnesota State University 

• Placed 10th in the triple jump at the NSIC Championships at 13.58m
• Finished 19th in the long jump at the NSIC Championships with a mark of 6.20m 
• Finished second in the triple jump at 13.26m at the SDSU Last Chance
• Placed third in the long jump at 6.27m at the SDSU Last Chance

Connor Wigand (Throws, Sr., Manitowoc, Wis. / Manitowoc Lincoln HS) - Southwest Minnesota State University

• 2020 All-NSIC Indoor honoree following a second place finish in the shot put with a toss of 16.62
• Also placed seventh in the weight throw at the 2020 NSIC Indoor Championships with toss of 17.38m
• Placed fourth in the shot put at the 2019 NSIC Indoor Championships

UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY

Upper Iowa’s men’s indoor track and field team is anxious to get onto the track this indoor season for year number two. Last year, the men scored two points in their first season back on campus at the 2020 NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championships thanks to a seventh-place finish in the long jump. Jaylen Hobson, one of UIU’s NSIC Athletes to Watch, nearly scored points as well after an 11th place finish in the long jump. Kaden Ludwig, the second Peacock named as a NSIC Athlete to Watch, placed 16th at the 200-meter race and was part of the 4x400-meter relay that placed 10th at the NSIC Championships. In addition to Hobson and Ludwig, the Peacocks return quite a few with experience in the Northern Sun including Macklin Conrad, Grant Dieken, Iberius Jenkins, Collin Kime, Brady Krupa, Devon Lawrence, Andrew Paskey, David Snider, and Samuel Thomas. Head Coach Nate Rucker, who is entering his ninth season at UIU, continues to build the schedule in advance of the NSIC Championships scheduled for the end of February.

Kaden Ludwig (Sprints, So., Waterloo, Iowa / Waterloo Columbus HS) - Upper Iowa University

• Placed 16th in the 200-meter race at the 2020 NSIC Championships
• Placed 10th as a member of the 4x400-meter relay at the 2020 NSIC Championships
• Competed in the 60-meter, 200-meter, 600-meter, triple jump and 4x400 meter relay throughout the season

Jaylen Hobson (Jumps, So., Dekalb, Ill. / DeKalb HS) -  Upper Iowa University

• Placed 11th in the long jump at the 2020 NSIC Championships with a top leap of 6.46 meters
• Competed in the long jump and 200-meter throughout the season 

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE

The Wayne State College men’s indoor track and field team will look to an All-American and NSIC champion thrower and a group of 13 freshmen to improve on last year’s ninth place finish at the NSIC Indoor Championships.  Cade Kalkowski returns in the weight throw.  He was second in the event last year after taking first in 2019 and is a two-time NCAA national qualifier that includes an All-American finish (seventh) in 2019.  Another top returner in the throws (shot put) is senior Ben Allen, who made the finals in the event last season.  Junior long jumper Mikhail Sands is back for the Wildcats, scoring points at the NSIC Championships the last two seasons (7th – 2020, 4th – 2019).  Junior Noah Lilly returns in the multi-events and earned an eighth place finish last season in the heptathlon.  Senior hurdler/sprinter Preston Davis, middle distance runners Bryce Holcomb and Brock Hegarty and distance runner Bailey Peckham are veterans on the Wildcat roster that look to score points for WSC this season.    

Noah Lilly (Heptathlon, Jr., Creighton, Neb. / Creighton HS) -  Wayne State College

• Placed 8th in 2020 NSIC Heptathlon
• Took 12th in heptathlon as a freshman in 2019

Cade Kalkowski  (Weight Throw, Sr., Niobrara, Neb. / Niobrara HS)  - Wayne State College

• Two-time NCAA national qualifier in weight throw
• 2019 NSIC Weight throw champion (2nd – 2020, 7th – 2017)
• 2019 NCAA All-American in weight throw (7th – 66- 7.75)