2021-22 NSIC Men's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches' Poll

12/2/2021 1:00:00 PM

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

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The ten-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 Austin Miller (track) were selected as the preseason athletes of the year. Woelber, named the preseason field athlete for the third year in a row, earned First Team All-American in the heptathlon last year, is a two-time High Point Performer at the NSIC Indoor Championships and is the NSIC record holder in the heptathlon (5,357 points).  Miller won the 800m, mile, and was part of the winning DMR at the NSIC Indoor Championships last season. He earned First Team All-America in the 800m and mile last year and is the NSIC record holder in the Mile (4:08.88). 

The 2021-22 NSIC indoor track & field season gets underway this weekend with the regular season culminating on Friday-Saturday, February 25-26 at the NSIC Championship held at Myers Fieldhouse in Mankato, Minnesota, hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato.

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Austin Miller (800m/Mile, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington HS) - Augustana University
  • Won the 800m, mile, and was part of the winning DMR at the NSIC Indoor Championships
  • Earned First Team All-America in the 800m and mile last year
  • NSIC record holder in the Mile (4:08.88)
Austin is as focused of an athlete as they come. He is capable of training at incredibly high levels because of his razor-sharp attention to workouts and cunning competitive edge. Austin focuses his workouts to benefit himself in both speed and endurance which make him an athlete that you cannot ignore and which led him to back-to-back conference championships and First Team All-American Honors in both the Mile and the 800 in the same days.
Head Coach Tracy Hellman
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Tyl Woelber (Multi/Jumps, Sr., Pipestone Minn. / Pipestone Area HS) - Augustana
  • Earned First Team All-American in the heptathlon last year
  • Two time High Point Performer at the NSIC Indoor Championships
  • NSIC record holder in the heptathlon (5,357 points)
Tyl has found incredible success in the field events for Augustana because of his team mindset and attention to detail. During practice, he spends time trying to learn the small things which will give him a competitive advantage when it comes to competition. Garnering high-point scorer, conference champion, and First Team All-American honors, Tyl has proven to be an athlete who can push his body to the absolute limits if it means it will give the team a better outcome which makes him an athlete to pay attention to during the upcoming season.
Head Coach Tracy Hellman

NSIC TEAM PREVIEWS & PLAYERS TO WATCH

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

Last season, the Vikings were 1.5 points short of its first-ever NSIC Indoor Championships. The men have added 13 freshmen to the 2021-22 roster and return 29 from last year’s roster. In total, Augustana returns 17 point scorers from last year’s NSIC Indoor Championships. Among the returners are All-Americans Tyl Woelber, Lawrence Lokonobei and Austin Miller. Woelber also repeated as the high-point performer of the meet with 29 points. Miller broke the NSIC record in the mile, running 4:08.88. He also won the 800m later in the meet in a time of 1:51.91. In total, five Vikings who won individual events at the conference meet return this year. 

We are excited to see what the men's indoor track team can do this season because of their focus and work ethic through the fall. The sprint, hurdle and jump athletes have dedicated themselves in the weight room and have developed notable improvements in strength which they are starting to transfer into track speed. Our distance athletes are coming off of one of the best cross country seasons in school history and are hungry to refine their speed to get onto the indoor track. Indoor track season is where these two teams come together and they both look incredibly good right now, so we are looking forward to seeing both of them in action as one.
Head Coach Tracy Hellman
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Austin Miller (Mid-Distance, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington  HS) 

  • Won the 800m, mile, and was part of the winning DMR at the NSIC Indoor Championships
  • Earned First Team All-America in the 800m and mile last year
  • NSIC record holder in the Mile (4:08.88)
Austin is as focused of an athlete as they come. He is capable of training at incredibly high levels because of his razor-sharp attention to workouts and cunning competitive edge. Austin focuses his workouts to benefit himself in both speed and endurance which make him an athlete that you cannot ignore and which led him to back-to-back conference championships and First Team All-American Honors in both the Mile and the 800 in the same days.
Head Coach Tracy Hellman

Tyl Woelber (Multi/Jumps, Sr., Pipestone, Minn. /  Pipestone Area HS)

  • Earned First Team All-American in the heptathlon last year
  • Two time High Point Performer at the NSIC Indoor Championships
  • NSIC record holder in the heptathlon (5,357 points)
Tyl has found incredible success in the field events for Augustana because of his team mindset and attention to detail. During practice, he spends time trying to learn the small things which will give him a competitive advantage when it comes to competition. Garnering high-point scorer, conference champion, and First Team All-American honors, Tyl has proven to be an athlete who can push his body to the absolute limits if it means it will give the team a better outcome which makes him an athlete to pay attention to during the upcoming season.
Head Coach Tracy Hellman

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL 

The Golden Bear men's track team looks to improve upon their eighth place finish in the 2020-21 NSIC Indoor Championships. With the loss of veteran talent in Ben Allen and Marcus Gustaveson, the Bears look to the future with the addition of 15 freshmen, five of whom will also compete for the cross country program. Two Golden Bears, Christian Davis and Josh Sims, broke school records in the long jump and 600 yard run last season. 

We head into this season after graduating two of the most decorated men's track & field athletes in program history; certainly irreplaceable talents and individuals. But there is a returning group of athletes that was at times overshadowed who played a huge role in cementing the team's third place finish at the NSIC outdoor championships. Pair the returning athletes with an incoming class that is showing signs of being be ready to contribute right away, we know there is still a lot to be excited about in the men's program.
Head Coach Sam Johnson
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Josh Sims (Middle Distance, So.,  Little Canada, Minn. / Cretin-Derham Hall HS) 

  • Competed in the 400m, 600m, 800m, 600 yard, 4x4000m relay, and distance medley relay during his freshman year 
  • Set a new personal best in the 600m at the NSIC Indoor Championships (2/26-27) with a time of 1:23.40 
  • Set a new CSP record in the 600 yard run at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic (1/16) with a time of 1:15.87
  • Set a new personal best in the 400m at the South Dakota Challenge (4/9-10) with a time of 51.85 seconds
Josh is a rangy long sprinter with the capacity to impact races from 400m to 800m. He has a humble, levelheaded demeanor but is incredibly motivated to bring his best effort each time he steps on the track. Josh was an individual point scorer at the indoor championships last year as a true freshmen and we believe he is prepared to take the next step in his development and role on the team.
Head Coach Sam Johnson

Andrew Johnson (Long Jump/Sprints, Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley HS)

  • Finished 2nd in long jump at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a 7.11m mark
  • 9th place finish in the 4 x 400 relay at NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships with 3:33.59 
  • 2nd place finish at the Bison Open in the long jump with a 6.82m mark
Andrew is the anchor of one of the best long jump squads in the nation. His maturity and leadership qualities are intangibles that don't show up on the meet recaps, but they fill a valuable need on the team. Andrew's consistent improvement since his first year is one of the best examples buying into a long term vision but working incrementally in the short term to get just a little bit better each day.
Head Coach Sam Johnson

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

The University of Mary enters the 2021-22 indoor season looking to build on the Marauders performances that led UMary to 5th place finishes indoors and outdoors at the conference meets and runner-up finish at the Northern Sun cross country championships this fall.

Isaac Huntington and Astley Davis are expected to be key contributors this fall. Huntington, named the NSIC Track Athlete to Watch for the Marauders, won the 400 meter outdoor run last spring at the outdoor conference championships after placing 5th indoors. The sophomore from Hastings, Minn., also helped the Marauders place third in the 4x400 meter relay both indoors and outdoors. UMary’s NSIC Field Athlete to Watch, Davis was the runner-up in the triple jump at the conference’s outdoor meet in the spring and placed in the long jump. A sophomore from Kingston, Jamaica, Davis also placed in both the triple jump (5th) and the long jump (7th) at the NSIC indoor championships last winter. 

All-conference cross country performers Jesse Kaas, Dawson Strom and Timothy Moore headline the Marauders efforts in the distance events. Dillan Kovash was the runner-up in the pole vault with an NCAA indoor qualifying mark. Aaron Davis placed in the triple jump both indoors and outdoors. Isaiah Richards joined the Davis’ in placing outdoors in the triple. Drew Olson paces the UMary sprinters following a top 5 finish in the 200 meter dash last spring.    

The UMary indoor track & field season begins at home on December 11 when the team hosts the Marauders Indoor Opener.

This upcoming season, our Men's Track and Field program has a great opportunity to place its highest finish at the conference championship since 2018. Mixed with a strong core of upperclassman in the long-distance and jumping events, we have a very talented group of young athletes in the sprinting events that can take us to the next level at the conference championship. Many newcomers already made their impact during the cross-country season and we are excited to see what they can do during the indoor season.
Head Coach Cale Korbelik
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Isaac Huntington (200m/400m/4x400m Relay, So., Hastings, Minn. /Hastings HS)

  • 2021 NSIC outdoor 400 meter champion
  • Finished 5th in the 400 meter dash at the 2021 NSIC indoor championships
  • Helped UMary’s 4x400 meter relay team place 3rd at both the 2021 NSIC indoor and outdoor championships
Isaac is a program-changing athlete. As a freshman, he adapted well during indoor and had a break-out outdoor season winning conference in the 400m dash. Isaac brings the "It" factor that this team needs to build off last season. He has a blue-collar work ethic and comes to practice every day to not only better himself but to help his team reach new personal bests. This season presents a great opportunity to achieve his goals on the national level.
Head Coach Cale Korbelik

Astley  Davis (Jumps, So., Kingston, Jamaica / Camperdown HS) 

  • Northern Sun runner-up in the triple jump at the 2021 outdoor championships
  • Also placed in the long jump (6th) outdoors 
  • Placed in both the triple jump (5th) and the high jump (7th) at the 2021 NSIC indoor championships
Astley brings a high level of athleticism in all the jumping events. In the triple jump, he worked his way to scoring indoor and runner-up outdoors while placing in the high jump during the indoor season and long jump in the outdoor season. Astley delivers great versatility to our team in the field events where he has made a dramatic impact on our team that we hope builds into a national appearance this upcoming season. Going into his second season, we have high hopes that he will take the next step to lead our team on the field event side.
Head Coach Cale Korbelik

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

Minnesota Duluth enters the 2021-22 season after an outdoor season that saw impressive individual finishes across the board. Recently named Head Coach Karly Brautigam sees more than 20 returners from last year’s team, and an opportunity to build the Bulldogs into an NSIC contender. During the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championship, key returner Ben Palmquist tallied a time of 14.61” in the 110M hurdles to secure a second-place finish and note the third best time in program history. With a crop of just five newcomers, Palmquist will be looked upon to lead a team that posted an eighth place finish out of 15 schools at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships. Another key returner is Avery Hunt, who notched the ninth best long jump in program history last season with a mark of 6.88M. The Bulldogs will open their season on Dec. 11 with a meet with St. Scholastica, before competing in the Minnesota State Invite on Jan. 14, in Mankato, Minn.

Our men's program is incredibly motivated to compete for individual and team goals. This group pushes each other every day and has a bond that going to get us through the ups and downs of the season. We are excited about the work this fall both in fall track, and in cross country and there is no doubt we are starting figure out and prove to ourselves how good we can be.
Head Coach Karly Brautigam
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Ben  Palmquist  (100H/400H, Jr., Northfield, Minn. / Northfield HS)

  • Tallied the third best 110H time in program history last season, 14.62” which was good enough for second place at the 2021 NSIC Championship
  • Finished fourth in the conference in 2021 in the 400H with a time of 54.55’’, good enough for ninth best in UMD history
  • Most experienced and decorated returner for the Bulldogs in 2021
Ben is one of the best hurdlers in the conference and has big goals for the 2022 season after multiple All-Conference performances last spring. Ben will lead as a point scorer and captain for our program!
Head Coach Karly Brautigam

Colton  Kostynick (Throws, Jr., Perham, Minn. / Perham HS)

  • Took home fourth place at the 2021 NSIC Championship in the discus throw, with a mark of 47.79m, which ranks ninth all-time in UMD history
  • Tallied multiple first place finishes at the Bulldog Invite in April. Took first in shot put with a mark of 14.07m and first in discus with a distance of 47.26m 
Colton has really taken ownership over his own success and the success of our throws group. As a returning NSIC point scorer, he has goals to contribute at the conference level over multiple events. Colton's work in the off season will put him in the position to reach his goals at the conference and national level!
Head Coach Karly Brautigam

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

The Minnesota State men’s track and field team will be looking to claim its eleventh consecutive NSIC Indoor Championship for this upcoming season. Minnesota State won its tenth consecutive NSIC Indoor Championship last season as it recorded 201.5 points. In total, the Mavericks claimed 16 All-NSIC honors during the indoor championships. Minnesota State will see four student-athletes return from last season’s team who went on to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Deveyonn Brown, Nicholas Hudson, Kornelius Klah and Tanner Maier. Brown claimed All-American First Team honors in the high jump as he finished third with a jump of 2.09m (6’10.25”), while Maier garnered All-American Second Team honors with an 11th place finish in the 800m (1:54.44). Hudson also garnered All-American Second Team accolades with a 12th place finish in the weight throw 18.13m (59’5.75”). Klah recorded All-American First Team honors in the 60m hurdles as he finished third with a time of 7.95.

We return a strong group of upperclassman while adding many new faces eager to make an impact. Our team goals will again be to defend our NSIC team championship and strive to be a top 10 team at the national level. We look to have a well-balanced team and have athletes excelling in all the events across track and field.
Head Coach Mike Turgeon
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Kornelius Klah (Hurdles, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa. / George Mason)

  • Was a two-time NSIC Track Athlete of the Week during 2020-21 indoor season
  • Claimed All-NSIC honors in 400m (49.50), 60m hurdles (8.05) and 4x400 relay (3:20.60) events at the 2021 NSIC Indoor Championships, finishing first in all three events
  • Claimed All-American honors in the 60m hurdles at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships as he finished third with a time of 7.95
After securing 3 All-American awards in the 2020-2021 season, Kornelius returns to defend his indoor NSIC conference titles in the 60m hurdles, 400m dash, 4x400m relay. Kornelius is one of the top returning hurdles in Division 2. In the 2020-2021 seasons, he secured the conference titles in the 60m hurdles, 400m indoors, 4x400m indoor, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay.
Head Coach Mike Turgeon

Caleb Kath (Jumps, Sr., Preston, Minn. / Iowa Central CC)

  • Finished fourth in the long jump at the 2021 NSIC Indoor Championships with a leap of 7.05m (23’1.75”)
  • Won the long jump event at the 2020 NSI Indoor Championships with a lead of 7.24m (23’9”)
  • Claimed All-NSIC honors at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships as he finished second in the long jump with a mark of 7.11m (23’4”)
Caleb returns for his senior season as a multi-time All-Conference performer in the long jump and sprints holding a long jump PR of 7.48m (24' 6.5").
Head Coach Mike Turgeon

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD

MSUM returns several veterans from a year ago, including junior Shyrone Kemp, who was All-American and NSIC champion in the triple jump in 2021. Kemp has eight All-NSIC honors in his career. Senior Chris Cook was All-American outdoors in the high jump in 2021, his fourth All-American honor of his Dragon career. Junior Ty Dawkins will be looked upon to contribute in the 200 and 400-meter runs.  

Our team returns a strong core of veterans and has a number of newcomers who have the ability to make an immediate impact in the conference. We look forward to competing with the best teams and individuals in the NSIC this season.
Head Coach Ryan Milner
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Ty Dawkins (200m/400m/4x400m, Jr., Freeport, Bahamas / Bishop Michael Eldon HS) 

  • Has six career event wins
  • Won four events during 2020 indoor 
  • Finished sixth in 400 at NSIC Indoor (2020) 
  • Part of two relays that finished in top five at conference meets 
Ty's commitment and focus on the track and in the classroom has been exceptional this Fall. He's showing that he has what it takes to put together a great season while leading a strong group of quarter milers for our team.
Head Coach Ryan Milner

Shyrone Kemp (Jumps, Jr., Jones Town, Bahamas/ Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy)

  • All-American in triple jump indoors in 2021 
  • Won NSIC indoor triple jump title at 50-2.75 which was a school record 
  • Also won NSIC outdoor triple jump title at 49-3.75 
  • Has eight All-NSIC honors in career 
Shyrone had an exceptional 2021 campaign and came into Fall training more fit than last year. By staying on his current trajectory, he has the ability to put together a special season at the conference and national level.
Head Coach Ryan Milner

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

Despite sending a small contingent to the 2021 NSIC Indoor Championships last winter, the Minot State men’s team finished seventh and garnered All-NSIC honors in two events led by returning senior Chase Tandy, who earned All-NSIC honors in the 400 meters and the distance medley relay. Tandy will be complimented by a strong distance contingent this season which is led by junior Jacob Jensen who is coming off a stellar cross-country campaign where he earned All-NSIC honors last month. Jensen was a member of the Beavers All-NSIC distance medley and also turned in seventh-place finishes last winter in the mile and 3,000 meters. Leading the way in the field events will be redshirt senior thrower and Minot native Logan Krueger, who last winter set an NCAA Division II-era school record in the shot put at the NSIC Championships with a throw of 51 feet, 1.5 inches, good for sixth in the conference. The Beavers open the indoor season sending a small group of student-athletes to Michigan this weekend for the Grand Valley State Holiday Open, then the full Minot State team begins the season at the Marauders Indoor Opener hosted by the University of Mary on Dec. 11.

We are coming off a year in which we had our highest conference finish along with multiple records, NSIC podium finishes, and NCAA provo marks and we return the majority of the squad that accomplished those things. Our coaching staff felt like we brought in really good recruiting class that will only help our program get to a new level. We got a taste of what was like to compete with the best of the NSIC last season and I know that these men have their sights set raising the bar even higher in 2022.
Head Coach Mark Del Monaco
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Chase Tandy (Sprints, Sr., Danville, Ky. / Danville HS / Kentucky State) 

  • Earned All-NSIC honors indoors last season finishing 3rd at the NSIC Championships in the 400 meters in 49.69 seconds
  • Part of the Beavers 2nd-place distance medley relay team (10:25.54) at last season’s NSIC Indoor Championships, earning All-NSIC honors
  • No. 3 at Minot State in NCAA Division II-era in the indoor 400 meters with a time of 49.69, which he ran at the NSIC Championships
  • No. 2 at Minot State in NCAA Division II-era in the outdoor 400 meters with a time of 49.25
Chase returns from his senior year after a stellar indoor season last year. He was NSIC All Conference in the 400m and Distance Medley Relay last year the conference championships for us. He has been working hard during fall training and has his sights set on a few records as well as getting to the NCAA meet. I know that he is hungry to finish out his senior year on a high note and leave a lasting impact on our program.
Head Coach Mark Del Monaco

Hunter Clark (Shot Put/Weight Throw, Jr., Great Falls, Mont. / Charles M. Russell HS)

  • Recorded season-best 15.60m in the weight throw at the Stinger Open  to finish 7th last season
  • Posted season-best in the discus throw (39.09m) at the NSU Spring open (4/24)
  • Qualified for the NSIC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the discus and hammer throw
  • Finished 25th in the hammer throw (40.96m) and 23rd in the discus (37.12m) 
Hunter is a big student of the game. He has been working hard this fall, and it is really starting to show in the ring. We are excited to see him break out of his shell this year and put up some big marks.
Head Coach Mark Del Monaco

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

The Northern State men’s track & field team looks to build off last season’s fourth (indoor) and fifth (outdoor) place team finishes at the NSIC Championships. Last season was the Wolves second consecutive top-5 finish in the conference indoor meet and was the program’s first top-5 outdoor finish since 2009. Northern’s top returner and their NSIC Athlete to Watch for field events is Tanner Berg, who is a 5-time All-American and 3-time NSIC Champion over the course of his career. The NSIC Athlete to Watch in track events for NSU is Seth Martens, who closed the 2021 season on a high note with a personal best time in the 400m prelims of the NSIC Outdoor Championships and was a part of 4x400 relay teams that earned second place finishes in both the conference indoor and outdoor meets. The Wolves return a core group of experience and leadership with a group of upperclassmen who combined for 221 top-10 finishes a season ago. Under the direction of third year head coach Lynne Dingman, the Wolves open the indoor season on December 3rd at the SDSU Holiday Invite.

We return a veteran squad along with a talented group of incoming freshmen. We have several underclassmen that should have a great shot to make podium at the championships. We have renewed energy to our team and we are excited to see what they can do this year!
Head Coach Lynne Dingman
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Seth  Martens (Sprints, So., Aberdeen, S.D. / Aberdeen Central HS)

  • Was a member of NSU’s 4x400 all-conference relay team that placed second at both the 2021 NSIC Outdoor and Indoor Championships
  • Tallied 22 top-10 finishes throughout the indoor and outdoor season
  • Recorded a personal best time in the 400m (48.78) in the prelims of the NSIC Outdoor Championships
Seth closed the outdoor season on a high note. As a freshman, he can into his own and excelled in the open 400 and relays. Seth is a leader on and off the track. He is also a member for the South Dakota National Guard. He has an amazing work ethic and is always pushing his teammates to be the best they can be.
Head Coach Lynne Dingman

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

  • 2021 NSIC Indoor Champion in the weight throw and shot put
  • Earned 2021 All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the weight throw (3rd) and shot put (12th), and at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in hammer throw (7th)
  • Holds the indoor school record in the shot put (17.40m) and weight throw (22.55m), as well as the outdoor school record in the hammer throw (68.60m)
  • Broke the NSIC Indoor Championship record in the weight throw with a toss of 21.23m (69-08)
  • Was named the 2021 NSIC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year 
Tanner will enter his final year of competition for the Wolves. He has been a dominate fixture in the NSIC and won the NSIC Indoor Field Athlete of the year last season. Tanner puts a tremendous amount of time in the weight room and in the ring. He is a fierce competitor and always pushing himself to get better everyday.
Head Coach Lynne Dingman

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS

The USF Men’s Track and Field Team will look to improve on its 12th place finish of a year ago with a group of talented returners and newcomers. Directed by USF Director of Track and Field Doug Petersen, the Cougars has a long history of success with a sixth place indoor finish in 2019-20, third in in 2018-19, second in 2016-17, sixth in 2015-16; third in 2013-14 and fourth in 2012-13. This year, UF will lean on experience in the distance and field events. Junior David Ecker was named USF’s Track Athlete to Watch as the school record holder in the 3K steeplechase (3rd outdoor, 2021) has had 15 top-five finishes in track and field/cross country. A CoSIDA Academic All-American and 8-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, he was All-NSIC in cross country with both Aaron Voigt and Jacob Hanna, who comprise a talented corps in the middle distance. Sophomore Tyler Hiatt is USF’s Field Athlete to Watch after transferring to USF from NDSU where he had four top-eight finishes indoors a year ago. He is a multiple state throws champion in South Dakota as a high school standout. Ben Mandel earned points in the hurdles a year ago and along with Isaiah Dancy, Steve Miner and others should make hurdles/field events a solid group of watch this year.  

We have a good blend of veteran and young athletes as well as a couple grad transfers. We will score in multiple events at the NSIC Championships and move up in the team scoring this year.
Head Coach Doug Petersen
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Dave Ecker (Distance, Jr., Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North HS) 

  • CoSIDA Academic All-American and Academic All-NSIC eight times
  • Owns school record in 3K steeplechase, placing third in 2020-21 at the outdoor NSIC meet
  • 15 top-five finishes – four times in XC 
  • Placed 18th and was named All-NSIC in 2021-22 in Cross Country, leading USF to a third-place team finish 
  • Member of six USF teams to finish in the top six at NSIC championships, including as a member of the 2018 cross country championship squad 
Dave had an outstanding Outdoor season last spring setting the USF school record in the 3000m Steeplechase and placing third in the NSIC Outdoor Championships. He also posted PRs in the 1500m and the 5000m, fast enough to make the USF All-time top ten list in those events. Dave continued his success this fall in cross country, earning All-Conference honors and posting a PR by a minute in the 8k races.
Head Coach Doug Petersen

Tyler Hiatt (Throws, Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS) 

  • DI transfer from NDSU – had four top-eight finishes indoors in 2020-21 
  • Top thrower from the state of South Dakota in the Class of 2020
  • Multiple state champ in shot and discus in high school 
  • All State performer in South Dakota at Lincoln High in football and track and field 
Tyler is a freshman transfer from NDSU. He had personal best throws indoors last year of 52'5.5" in the shot put and 45'9.75. At SF Lincoln he was 4 time state champion in the shot put and discus and awarded the Gatorade SD Thrower of the Year.
Head Coach Doug Petersen

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

The Southwest Minnesota State men’s indoor track & field team will look to improve its finish at the 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships following an 11th place finish last season. SMSU third-year head coach Kirk Nauman has experience returning in 2022, while mixing in young pieces that will compete for points at the NSIC Championships. 

Senior Isaiah Nelson is one of the top returners after placing 11th in the triple jump at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships at 13.31m. He also won the triple jump athe the Cobber COVID Inodoor Duals at a season-high 13.67m

Sophomore McKallen Smith returns after a rookie season in which he placed placed eighth in the high jump at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships at 1.85m.

Sophomore Hunter Smith also looks to build of a freshman campaign that saw him place 10th in the pole vault at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships at 3.97m

Junior Renald Pierre is back to improve even more in his third season after going from a 10th place finish in his freshman year to a fourth place finish last season in the 60 meter hurdles with a PR of 8.40 at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships.

This will be my first year (hopefully) of getting a full indoor and outdoor season as head coach at SMSU. We have knocked off a lot of records and grown the program exponentially. I am looking forward to see what we do next!
Head Coach Kirk Nauman
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Renald Pierre (Hurdles, So., Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Dunbar HS)

  • Finished fourth in the 60 hurdles at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a PR of 8.40
  • Placed first in the 60 hurdles at the CSB/SJU Tri Meet with a time of 8.62
  • Placed first in the 60 hurdles at the Cobber COVID Indoor Duals with a time of 8.59
  • Finished ninth in the 60 hurdles at the SDSU Last Chance with a 8.56 time
Renald placed fourth in both the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles at the NSIC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. He made huge strides in the hurdles as the season went. We are hoping for more of the same this year.
Head Coach Kirk Nauman

McKallen Smith (High Jump, So., Smithton, Ill. / Freeburg HS) 

  • Placed eighth in the high jump at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships at 1.85m
  • Finished first in the high jump at the CSB/SJU Tri Meet at 1.85m
  • Placed second in the high jump at the Cobber COVID Indoor Duals at 1.95m
  • Finished fourth in the high jump at the SDSU Last Chance at 1.90m
McKallen is the school record holder in both the indoor and outdoor high jump. His freshmen season culminated in McKallen being ranked 18th in NCAA Division II Outdoors. With another year under his belt, we are excited to see what consistency in his approach will do for jumping even higher.
Head Coach Kirk Nauman

UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY

Upper Iowa’s men’s indoor track and field team is prepped for a big year. Last season, the team placed ninth with 28 points at the NSIC Indoor Championships in Mankato, Minn. The Peacocks registered four school records and notched first, second, and third-place finishes in different events at the championships. Jaylen Hobson secured a third-place finish, six points for the Peacocks and an All-NSIC award in the triple jump competition with a mark of 14.06 meters. Hobson and Teddy Ayden return to lead the Peacocks into the 2021-22 season. UIU opens their competition schedule on Saturday, Dec. 4 at the Frigid Bee Invite hosted by St. Ambrose University.

As we enter our third year as a program, it will be exciting to see how these men have progressed and improved from since the inception of the program. Should make for a fun indoor/outdoor season.
Head Coach Nate Rucker
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Teddy Ayden (100/200, So., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. / North Miami HS)

  • Placed 7th at the NSIC Indoor Championships in the 60m dash in a time of 7.01
  • Placed 9th at the NSIC Indoor Championships in the 200m in a time of 22.63
  • Posted a top time of 7.00 seconds in the 60m dash at the Dakota Wesleyan Invite
After his third place finish in the men's 200 at outdoor conference, I know he is excited about his sophomore campaign. As a coaching staff, we have seen tremendous growth during the fall and are looking forward to what the upcoming season may hold for him.
Head Coach Nate Rucker

Jaylen Hobson (Jumps, Jr., Dekalb, Ill. / DeKalb HS) 

  • Placed 3rd at the NSIC Indoor Championships to earn All-NSIC honors with a mark of 14.06m in the triple jump
  • Placed 13th at the NSIC Indoor Championships with a leap of 6.36m in the long jump
  • Hit his best long jump at the Dakota Wesleyan Invite with a mark of 6.65m
We are looking forward to see what Jaylen can do after his third place finish in the triple jump at the outdoor conference championships last year in Duluth. He has had a strong fall, and has shown great progress. Should be an exciting year for him in the horizontal jumps.
Head Coach Nate Rucker

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE

Wayne State will use a mix of veteran leadership and 15 incoming freshmen to try and improve on last year’s sixth place finish at the NSIC Indoor Championships.  Headlining the list of returners for veteran head coach Marlon Brink is senior Noah Lilly, who was an All-NSIC finisher last year in the heptathlon (3rd – 4621 pts) and placed sixth in the pole vault (14’ 0”).  Also returning for the Wildcats is grad student thrower Cole Christoffersen, an NCAA national qualifier in the weight throw last year that was fourth at the NSIC Championships.  Other returning point scorers for the Wildcats include sophomore high jumper Dylan Kneifl (4th), long jumper Mikhail Sands (8th) and middle distance runner Brock Hegarty (8th in the 1,000 meter run).  A strong recruiting class of 15 true freshmen are expected to contend right away and help score points for the Wildcats.   

I am excited about the talent that we have on the team this year. We have 21 of our 35 points scored last year returning this year. So we have a good nucleus that we can build around. We had a good freshman recruiting class and have several athletes who I think will have a chance to score and contribute this year. It should be an exciting year for WSC Track & Field.
Head Coach Marlon Brink
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Noah Lilly (Heptathlon, Sr., Creighton, Neb. / Creighton HS) 

  • All-NSIC in heptathlon in 2021 – 3rd place with 4621 points
  • Two-time medalist in heptathlon
  • Placed sixth in pole vault last season (14-0)
Noah has really developed as a collegiate athlete this past year and a half. It is exciting to see him be able to compete so well in a wide variety of events in the multi - from the 60 meter hurdles to the pole vault to even the 1000 meter run. He and Coach Travis Kamm have developed a great relationship and training system to help him reach his full potential. I think we are going to see some really great things results from Noah this year.
Head Coach Marlon Brink

Cole  Christoffersen (Weight Throw, Gr., Lyons, Neb. / Lyons-Decatur Northeast HS) 

  • NCAA qualifier in weight throw in 2021
  • Fourth place in weight throw at 2021 NSIC Championships
  • Threw season-best mark of 63’ 9 ¾” at NSIC Championships
Cole has slowly, but steadily worked his way up to being one of the best throwers in the NSIC and NCAA DII. He has done a great job learning a completely new event and then taking it to the highest level he can. I am thankful that he chose to attend grad school so that he could use another year of eligibility. I am excited to see what he can do with the opportunity and have a great season!
Head Coach Marlon Brink
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