BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Fresh off its third straight NSIC Indoor Championship last year, Minnesota State was picked to win the NSIC in the preseason women's indoor track & field coaches' poll. The Mavericks received all 14 first place votes and tallied 196 points, ranking them ahead of Augustana, which was second with 182 points and the other first place vote (coaches cannot vote for their own team). The University of Mary was third with 162 points while Winona State was fourth with 162. .
Minnesota State's Denisha Cartwright (track) and Makayla Jackson (field) were voted by the coaches as the preseason athletes of the year. Cartwright has received 14 All-American honors during her time as a Maverick, including three national championships in the 100m hurdles, 4x100 relay and the 60m hurdles. She has also won the 60m hurdles and 200m dash events at the NSIC Indoor Championships twice, to go along with two first place finishes in the 100m hurdles at the NSIC Outdoor Championships and one in the 4x100 relay.
Jackson won the National Championship in the long jump last season with a leap of 20-4.25 to set the school record in the event. With the victory Jackson earned All-American honors as she helped the Mavericks to the team national championship.
The 2022-23 NSIC Indoor Track & Field season gets underway this weekend with the regular season culminating on Friday-Saturday, February 24-25 at the NSIC Championship held at Myers Fieldhouse in Mankato, Minnesota, hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato.