MINNESOTA STATE SELECTED IN NSIC 
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD 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 outdoor track & field coaches' poll. The Mavericks received 11 first place votes and tallied 121 points, ranking them ahead of Augustana, which was second with 110 points and the other first place vote. MSU Moorhead was third with 92 points, University of Mary was fourth with 88 points while Concordia-St. Paul was fifth with 80 points.

MSU Moorhead's  Nadir Yusuf was voted by the coaches as preseason outdoor track athlete of the year while Augustana's Tyl Woelber was named the preseason field athlete of the year for the second straight season.  

The 2022 NSIC outdoor track & field season gets underway the last weekend of March with the regular season culminating on Thursday-Saturday, May 12-14 at the NSIC Championships held at Swisher Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota; hosted by Northern State University.  

• Won 10K and 5K titles at the NSIC Outdoor Championships last year  
• All-American in the 10K at outdoor nationals, placing fifth
• Earned two All-NSIC honors indoors, including winning 3K
• Has six All-NSIC honors in track and field
• School record holder in the 10K with a time of 29:12.04

• Two-time NSIC Outdoor Champion in the javelin (2019, 2021)
• 2021 NSIC Outdoor Champion in the decathlon (7,302) 
• Second in the decathlon in 2019 (6,694 points)
• School record holder in the decathlon (7,302 points), javelin (206-4.50) and high jump (6-11.25)

NSIC TEAM PREVIEWS & PLAYERS TO WATCH

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

Last season, the men placed second scoring 115 points. The men have added 12 newcomers and return 27 from last year’s roster. A stellar core with six Vikings who earned All-Conference are among the returners back for Augustana. The Vikings return the 2021 NSIC Field Athlete of the Year in Tyl Woelber, who is the returning NSIC Champion in the decathlon and along with the returning NSIC Field Athlete of the Year in Tyl Woelber. The Vikings also return Austin Miller who is the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Champion the 1,500m along with being the third-place finisher in the 800m.

Austin Miller (Distance, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Washington HS) 

• 2021 NSIC Outdoor Champion in the 1,500m
• The third-place finisher in the 800m at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Champion 
• School record holder in the 1,500m (3:45.58)
• National Runner-up in the Indoor Mile in 2022
• Earned First Team All-America honors in the distance medley relay in 2022

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

• Two-time NSIC Outdoor Champion in the javelin (2019, 2021)
• 2021 NSIC Outdoor Champion in the decathlon (7,302) 
• Second in the decathlon in 2019 (6,694 points)
• School record holder in the decathlon (7,302 points), javelin (206-4.50) and high jump (6-11.25)

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL 

The Concordia-St. Paul men’s track and field team is coming off perhaps their best ever outdoor season as the squad registered a third place finish with 84 points in the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships before following it up with a fifth place finish in the 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships. Jakob Tordsen, CSP’s field athlete to watch, joins CJ Picazo, Keegan Larson, Arik Johnson, Andrew Johnson and Josh Sims as returning point scorers from that successful 2021 squad. Tordsen is coming off an impressive indoor season in which he earned Second Team All-America honors with a ninth place finish in the heptathlon after earning All-NSIC honors with a second place finish and a school record in the NSIC Indoor Championships. Eben Mundfrom is also coming off an NCAA qualifying indoor season in which he finished 16th in the weight throw. Matthew Helser has been tabbed as the track athlete to watch after scoring six points in the NSIC Indoor Championships with three top-10 finishes, taking fourth in the distance medley relay, eighth in the 1000 meter run and 10th in the mile run. CSP is scheduled to open the outdoor season at the ESU Relays on Mar. 25-26. Concordia will host the Holst Invitational on Apr. 23 at Sea Foam Stadium.

Matthew Helser (Distance, So.,  Big Lake, Minn. / Spectrum HS)

• Scored six points in the NSIC Indoor Championships
• Helped the distance medley team to a fourth place finish while taking eighth in the 1000m and 10th in the mile
• Took 11th in the 1500m in the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships
• Picked up 12 top-10 finishes in the indoor season

Jakob Tordsen (Decathlon/High Jump/Javelin, Sr., Wausau, Wis. / Wausau West HS)

• Second Team All-America in the indoor heptathlon, finishing ninth in the NCAA Championships
• All-NSIC in the indoor heptathlon after finishing second with a PR of 5279 points
• Finished fourth in the javelin and sixth in the decathlon in the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships
• Holds the school record in the indoor heptathlon and the javelin

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

After making forward strides during the indoor season, the University of Mary men’s track & field looks to do the same outdoors. The Marauders finished 4th at the Northern Sun indoor championships in March, moving up in the team standings one rung from the previous season. After placing 5th outdoors last spring, the Marauders look to take strides forward this spring also. 

The Marauders are looking to Hayden Von Wald and Jesse Kaas to be among the team headliners this spring. 

A sophomore from Selby, SD, Von Wald is the Marauders NSIC Field Athlete to Watch in 2022. A key member of a deep group of jumpers for UMary, he competed in both the long and triple jump at the NSIC indoor championships, scoring in the long jump. 

A 4-time all-conference performer, Kaas is the Marauders NSIC Outdoor Track Athlete to Watch in 2022. The distance runner has earned honors during the indoor, outdoor and cross country seasons for UMary. He finished 3rd in the 5000 meter run at the conference championships to claim all-league honors and scored in both the 3K and 5k indoors in March.    

The Marauders return two other All-NSIC performers from last spring. Isaac Huntington claimed the 400 meter dash for the Marauders lone outdoor title. Astley Davis was the runner-up in the triple jump. 

Jesse Kaas (Distance, Jr.,  Graham, Wash. / Graham-Kapowsin HS) 

• Four-time All-NSIC performer who runs cross country, indoors and outdoors
• Placed third in the 5K at the 2021 NSIC outdoor championships
• Scored in both the 5K and 3K at the 2022 NSIC indoor championships

Hayden Von Wald (Long Jump, So., Selby, S.D. / Herreid/Selby HS)

• Continues to develop into one of the Marauders top jumpers
• Competed in both the triple jump and long jump at the 2022 NSIC indoor championships
• Scored in the long jump as his 8th place finish was second among a deep UMary group

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

The Minnesota Duluth Men's Track and Field team will begin their outdoor season on April 1st at the Wartburg Outdoor Select meet in Waverly, Iowa. The Bulldogs will look to improve upon their eighth place outdoor finish from last season --- led by returning student-athletes Nick Jacobson (junior) and Colton Kostynick (junior).

Blaine, MN native, Nick Jacobson is returning for his third season with the Bulldogs Track & Field team and he looks to continue his performance from this seasons indoor track & field campaign. Last season, Jacobson improved his 9:04.29 time in the 3000-meter run to 8:54.83. Jacobson then improved that by 19 seconds, setting his new personal best last month at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 8:35.77.  

Fellow junior, Colton Kostynick will be returning for his third season as well. Kostynick will lead the Bulldogs in the four throwing events of Discus, Hammer Throw, Shot put, and Weight Throw. Last season was Kostynick's first season in Discus Throw and Hammer Throw. 

Nick Jacobson (5K, So., Blaine, Minn. / Blaine HS) 

• Improved his 9:04.29 time in the 3000-meter run to 8:54.83 last season
• Improved that by 19 seconds, setting his new personal best last month at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 8:35.77
• Set personal bests in the 5000-meter run and the mile time earlier this season
• Went from 15:28.09 all the way down to 14:27.88 in the 5K
• Started last season with a mile time of 4:34.19 and had shaved it down to 4:18.93.

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

• Hammer Throw best was 41.51m 
• Discus Throw best was 48.6m 
• Threw a 16.22m Shot put and a 16.52m Weight Throw last season

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

The Mavericks enter the outdoor track and field season coming off their 11th consecutive NSIC indoor championships and a 6th place finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. Minnesota State looks to go back-to-back in the NSIC Championships after claiming the title a year ago. The Mavericks have a group of six student athletes that earned All-American honors that will compete in the outdoor season. With Shaheed Hickman and Carson Dittel selected as the Minnesota State outdoor track and field athletes to watch this season, the Mavericks return a team with experience and All-American talent. 

Shaheed Hickman (100/200/4x100m, Sr., Minneapolis, Minn. / Hopkins HS) 

• Finished 7th in the 100m at the 2021 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships earning All-American honors
• Conference champion in the 200m dash with a career best 21.22 at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Track & Field Meet
• NSIC Champion in the 100m dash with a time of 10.46.
• 7th in school history in the 100m with a time of 10.43, 11th in school history in 200m with 21.22.
• Part of a 4x100 team that won the NSIC championship in 2021, Team is 7th in school history with a time of 40.72

Carson Dittel (Pole Vault, Jr., Maplewood, Minn. / Roseville HS) 

• Returning NSIC Outdoor pole vault champion with a height of 16' 2.5'' (4.94m)
• Set career best mark of 16' 8'' (5.08m) at the 2022 Mark Miller Invite
• Earned All-American honors in 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships with 2nd place finish at 15' 8.25'' (4.78m)
• Finished 14th at NCAA Championships with a height of 15' 9'' (4.80m)
• 4th in school history in the pole vault with a height of 16' 8'' (5.08m)

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD

A strong core of jumpers and solid distance group leads the way for the Dragon men. Sophomore Shyrone Kemp was national runner-up in the triple jump and has 10 career All-NSIC honors. In addition to the triple jump Kemp also will contribute in the long jump.  Sophomore Travis Joseph was the NSIC Indoor champion in the high jump and a national qualifier while senior Nadir Yusuf, who won the 3,000 meters indoors, returns. He was All-American outdoors in the 10K in 2021. Senior Chris Cook is a four-time All-American in the high jump and multi-time conference champion in that event. Junior Ty Dawkins anchors the sprints after being a national qualifier in the 400 last year.  

Nadir  Yusuf  (Distance, Sr., Willmar, Minn. / Willmar HS)

• Won 10K and 5K titles at the NSIC Outdoor Championships last year  
• All-American in the 10K at outdoor nationals, placing fifth
• Earned two All-NSIC honors indoors, including winning 3K
• Has six All-NSIC honors in track and field
• School record holder in the 10K with a time of 29:12.04

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

• All-American in triple jump indoors with runner-up finish 
• NSIC indoor champion in long jump and triple jump 
• Set school indoor record of 52-4 3/4 at indoor nationals 
• Now has three All-American honors in triple jump 
• Was NSIC outdoor champion in triple jump in 2021 
• Has 10 All-NSIC honors in career 

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

Minot State returns All-NSIC performer Leif Nelson, who was 2nd in the javelin and team scorers Joseph Green (200, 400 meters), Lewis Cotterill (800), Jacob Jensen (10,000), Nathan Trujillo-Aragon (110 hurdles), Logan Krueger (hammer).  Cotterill earned All-NSIC honors in indoor track & field in the 600 meters and Jensen earned All-NSIC honors in cross country. The Beavers finished ninth at the 2021 Outdoor Championships as a team with 31 points.  They open their season on March 26 at the Yellow Jacket Spring Open in Spearfish, South Dakota. 

Jacob Jensen (Distance, Jr., Belcourt, N.D. / Turtle Mountain Community) 

• Holds the Minot State NCAA D-II era school record outdoors in the 5,000 meters (14:48.68) and 10,000 meters (31:46.35).
• Finished 5th in the 10,000 meters in 31:46.35 at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships
• 2-time NSIC Elite 18 Award winner in Cross Country
• 2021 NSIC All-Conference performer in cross country
• Holds the Minot State all-time records indoors in mile (4:09.75) and 5,000 meters (14:38.79)

Leif Nelson (Javelin, So., Devils Lake, N.D. / Devils Lake HS)

• Hit 2021 NCAA D-II National provisional qualifying mark in javelin a with throw of 204 feet
• Earned 2021 NSIC All-Conference honors finishing 2nd at 2021 Championships in javelin with a throw of 204 feet
• Earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors for 2021 Outdoor Track & Field
• Set the Minot State NCAA D-II era school record in the high jump this indoor season clearing 6-6.75

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY

The 2021-22 Northern State University men’s outdoor track and field team is coming off a fifth place finish at the NSIC Championships a season ago. NSU tallied six all-conference performances, including a runner-up finish in the 4x400m relay from Duluth. In addition, Tanner Berg qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships and brought home the fifth All-American honors of his career, taking seventh in the hammer throw. Jackson Harrison and Tanner Berg were tabbed as the team’s athletes to watch for the 2022 season. Lynne Dingman begins her third season at the helm of the program and returns 28 from a season ago, while welcoming 18 newcomers. Northern opens the outdoor season at the University of South Dakota on April 2. The Wolves will host the Dewy Donat Classic, April 22-23, as well as the NSIC Championships, May 12-14, from the Swisher Activities Complex. 

Jackson Harrison (5K/10K, Jr., Aberdeen, S.D. / Aberdeen Central HS) 

• Ran to a top-15 finish in the 5000m run at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in 2021
• Coming off a third place all-conference finish in the 5000m and fifth place finish in the 3000m at the NSIC Indoor Championships

Tanner Berg (Throws, Gr., Watertown, S.D. / Watertown HS) 

• Tallied NSIC runner-up finishes in the hammer throw and shot put in 2021
• Threw to marks of 60.90m (199-10.00) in the hammer and 17.36m (56-11.50) in the shot put
• Added a fifth place finish in the discus, throwing 46.32m (152-00.00)
• Qualified for the NCAA Championships, finishing as an All-American in seventh place in the hammer throw

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. At the NSIC Indoors, USF was ninth with 17.5 points and have been projected ninth outdoors in the coaches preseason poll.  This year, USF will lean on experience in the distance and field events.  Senior David Ecker was named USF's Track Athlete to Watch as the school record holder in the 3K steeplechase (3rd outdoor, 2021).  Eckert, Voigt, Micah Shumway and Miles Olofson comprise a talented distance corp.  In the field events, sophomore Tyler Hiatt is USF's Field Athlete to Watch after qualifying for the NCAA DII Indoor Championships in the shot. Also in the throws, USF will look for contributions from Patrick Hagan, Marek Rex and Jaymeson Wolkow. USF will also look for contributions from Jake Person in the pole vault and Steven Miner in the jumps.  Ben Mandel will lead USF's hurdles squad while Joseph Donahue will lead USF’s sprint squad after an impressive indoor season. He will compete in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. USF will also look for contributions in the mid-distance from All-NSIC cross country standout Jakob Hanna, who will run between 800-meters and 3,000 meters.  Others in the mid distance, include Zach Matzner and Caleb Rivera.  

Dave Ecker (Distance, Jr., Eau Clair, Wis. / Eau Clair North HS) 

• School record holder (9:16.75) in the 3K steeplechase, finishing third in 2021 at the NSIC Outdoor Championships
• Has had 15 top-five finishes in track and field/cross country
• A CoSIDA Academic All-American and 8-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, earned All-NSIC honors in cross country with both Aaron Voigt and Jakob Hanna, who comprise a talented corps in the middle distance
• Ranks eighth all-time at USF in the 5,000-meter run at 14:55.78; and 10th in the 1,500 meter run at 4:00.76
• Part of five USF teams in track and field and cross country that finished top six in the NSIC

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

• USF's Field Athlete to Watch Indoors and OUtdoor after transferring to USF from NDSU where he had four top-eight finishes indoors a year ago
• In his first appearance at the NCAA DII Indoor Track and Field Championships, placed 16th with a throw of 16.13 meters – 52-11 
• Will compete outdoors at USF for the first time 
• Qualified for nationals and set a school record by finishing second in the shot put at the NSIC Indoors with a throw of 17.63 meters – 57-10.25   
• Indoors, had 13 top-six placements in 10 meets, including four titles, with nine combined throws in the shot put and weight throw that rank top 10 all-time at USF
• In terms of indoor shot-put throws all-time, has six of the top 10 throws In the school's top 10 list all-time    

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

The Southwest Minnesota State men’s outdoor track & field team has solid mix of veterans and newcomers that have a chance to score points at this year’s conference championships under third-year head coach Kirk Naumann. 

Senior Isaiah Nelson will look to contend for a podium spot after earning a fifth-place finish in the triple jump at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championship. He holds the school record for both the indoor and outdoor in the triple jump.

Sophomore Renald Pierre will look to build off a strong 2022 indoor season in which he placed second in the 60-meter hurdles at the NSIC Championships to earn All-NSIC honors. Last outdoor season he finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.90.

Also back is sophomore McKallen Smith, who earned All-NSIC accolades last spring with a third-place finish in the high jump.

Renald Pierre (Hurdles, So., Lehigh Acres, Fla. / Dunbar HS)

• Placed second in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships at 8.06, just missing qualifying for the NCAA Championships
• Finished fourth at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships in the 110-meter hurdles

Isaiah Nelson (Triple Jump, Sr., Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson HS)

• Placed fifth in the triple jump at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships
• Broke the school indoor triple jump record this season and finished fourth at the 2022 NSIC Indoor Championships

UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY

Upper Iowa’s men’s outdoor track and field team is set to get into competitions this spring. Last season, the team placed 11th with 22 points at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in Duluth, Minn. Teddy Ayden and Jaylen Hobson combined for 12 of the team’s 22 points at last year’s NSIC Championships with a pair of third-place finishes in the 200-meter and triple jump events, respectively. Both young men return to lead the Peacocks into the 2022 outdoor season. UIU opens their competition schedule at Emporia State University from Thursday through Saturday, Mar. 24-26.

Teddy Ayden (Sprints, So., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / North Miami Senior HS) 

• Placed third in the 200-meter at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in a time of 21.49 seconds
• Ran the second-fastest prelim time in the 100-meter race at the NSIC Outdoor Championships with a time of 10.95 seconds

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

• Placed third in the triple jump at the NSIC Outdoor Championships with a leap of 14.53 meters
• Placed 11th in the long jump at the NSIC Outdoor Championships with a jump of 6.68 meters

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE

Wayne State returns just 33 percent (17 of 51.5 points) from last year’s team that finished seventh at the NSIC Outdoor Championships, but veteran head coach Marlon Brink is looking towards a talented freshmen class of 15 athletes to pick up some of the scoring from last season.  Senior Noah Lilly earned All-NSIC honors last year in the pentathlon, placing second, and also scored a sixth place finish in the javelin.  Senior thrower Cole Christoffersen returns in the hammer throw and was fourth at the NSIC Championships last year after throwing over 185 feet in every regular season meet one year ago.  Sophomore Dylan Kneifl is a returning medal winner in the high jump and is coming off a strong indoor season.  Freshman Logan Moeller looks to contribute in the jumps this spring after placing second in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump during the NSIC Indoor Championships while freshman Alex Brandt will compete in multis during the outdoor season after medaling during the indoor season in the heptathlon.  Wayne State opens the 2022 outdoor season hosting the Wildcat Classic March 25 and 26 at LeRoy Simpson Track in Wayne.  

Noah Lilly (Heptathlon, Sr., Creighton, Neb. / Creighton HS) 

• All-NSIC second place finish in decathlon last year with NCAA provisional 6,368 points
• Finished sixth in javelin at 174-11.75
• Also medaled (8th) at 2019 NSIC Championships in decathlon

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

• Placed fourth in hammer throw at NSIC Championships last year
• Threw over 185 feet at every regular season meet last year
• NCAA provisional mark and season-best 194’ 3” to place fifth at Sioux City Relays
• Placed seventh or better at every meet in hammer throw last season