For Immediate Release
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Tamia Horton (Sprints, Sr., Maplewood, Minn. / North HS) - Sioux Falls
- Won the 100m at the Minnesota State Open with a program and meet record time of 11.41 
- The time ranks fifth in NCAA Division II this season
- Also anchored a 4x100 relay team that finished second in a time of 47.58

NSIC Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Miranda Lauvstad (Multis, Sr., Nesoeya, Norway / Norges Toppidrettsgymnas) - Minnesota State
- Won the 400m hurdles (1:01.56) and long jump (20-2.5/6.16m) at Minnesota State Open
- Set a MSU record in the heptathlon with a 5,671 point performance at the Bryan Clay Multi Event
- Ranks third in Division II in the heptathlon 
- Long jump (20-6.25/6.25m) at the Bryan Clay Multi is the second longest in Division II this season

Other Top Track Performances
Ellen Merkley (Augustana)
- Set personal best in 100m (11.81) 
- Finished second at Snooze Button Classic 
- Ranks second in NSIC 
Esaba Okwaramoi (Minnesota State)
- Placed third in the 100m hurdles (13.51) at the Minnesota State Open
- Time ranks fifth in Division II this season 
Renea Taylor (Northern State)
- Won 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles at Snooze Button Classic 
- Posted times of 14.11 and 1:00.19 
- Earned top-20 national rankings in both 
Efe Ottah (St. Cloud State)
- Won 100m and 200m at Manitou Classic 
- Set personal best in 200m (25.30) 
- Also ran PR 12.48 in 100m 
- Member of winning 4x400 relay team 
- Ranks top-30 in NSIC across events 
Breylee Botts (Wayne State)
- Won 100m hurdles at Sioux City Relays 
- Time of 14.22 ranks fifth in NSIC 

Other Top Field Performances
Ashton Massey (Augustana)
- Won heptathlon with PR and NCAA provisional (4,592) t the Sioux City Relays 
- Won three events (800m, shot put, 100H) 
- Added multiple top-five finishes 
- Ranks top-40 nationally 
- Also placed third in 100H at Snooze Button Classic 
Mehlayna Straub (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Recorded NCAA provisional score in heptathlon (5085) at the Dutch Spring Multi
- Set personal record 
- Ranks top-10 in Division II 
- Set PRs in multiple events 
Anna Bruno (UMary)
- Won the Long Jump at the Al Bortke Classic
- Distance of 6.02m ranks 10th in the nation and 3rd in the NSIC
- Also set a PR in the Triple Jump with an 11.63m leap, ranking 6th in the NSIC
Ahniesha Presulme (MSU Moorhead)
- Placed third in triple jump (11.92m PR) at the NDSU Spring Invitational
- Second-best mark in program history 
- Also set PR in 100m hurdles 
Romane Maugest (Northern State)
- Won pole vault with PR and provisional mark (4.00m) at Snooze Button Classic 
Delanie Van Driel (Sioux Falls)
- Won discus (42.56m) at the Minnesota State Open
- Placed second in shot put (13.47m) 
Mackenzie McMahon (St. Cloud State )
- Won discus with PR (40.18m) 
- Added PR in hammer throw 
- Placed second in discus at the Minnesota State Open 
- Ranks top-15 in NSIC 
McKinley Grover (Wayne State)
- Recorded two NCAA provisional marks in discus 
- Won at USD Snooze Button Invite (152’9”) 
- Placed second at Sioux City Relays (153’11”) 
- Ranks third in NSIC 

 
Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
3/24/26
T:  Renea Taylor – Northern State
F: Bekah Walz – Northern State
3/31/26
T: Kelescia Downes - University of Mary
F: Ghada Hamdani - Minnesota State
4/6/26
T: Ella Voit - Winona State
F: Olivia Schwarzrock - Wayne State
4/14/26
T:  Tamia Horton - Sioux Falls
F: Miranda Lauvstad - Minnesota State


About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 126 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.