SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Summit League) – The North Dakota State men and women were picked as the league favorites for the 2021 Summit League Indoor Track and Field preseason poll released Thursday. This marks the tenth time that both the Bison men and women were both picked to be the preseason favorites in the same season since joining the league prior to the 2007-08 academic year.
The defending champion Bison were voted the favorite on the men’s side after receiving 30 total points and five first-place votes. South Dakota State was picked to finish behind NDSU with a total of 24 points and the remaining first-place vote. South Dakota (23), Oral Roberts (19), North Dakota (14) and Western Illinois (10) complete the men’s rankings.
For the women, North Dakota State was picked to finish atop the league for the 12th time since joining the league. The Bison finished with 41 points and five first-place votes. South Dakota took the remaining two first-place votes and earned the No. 2 spot with 38 total points. South Dakota State (32), Oral Roberts (25), North Dakota (24), Western Illinois (16) and Omaha (13) round out the women’s poll.
2020-21 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN’S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| Team | Score (1st place votes) | ||||
| 1. | North Dakota State | 30 (5) | |||
| 2. | South Dakota State | 24 (1) | |||
| 3. | South Dakota | 23 | |||
| 4. | Oral Roberts | 19 | |||
| 5. | North Dakota | 14 | |||
| 6. | Western Illinois | 10 |
2020-21 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN’S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| Team | Score (1st place votes) | ||||
| 1. | North Dakota State | 41 (5) | |||
| 2. | South Dakota | 38 (2) | |||
| 3. | South Dakota State | 32 | |||
| 4. | Oral Roberts | 25 | |||
| 5. | North Dakota | 24 | |||
| 6. | Western Illinois | 16 | |||
| 7. | Omaha | 13 |
MEN’S INDOOR PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
All notes/bullet points reflect indoor track & field accomplishments only
Alex Talley, North Dakota State
Sr | Throws | West Fargo, N.D.
- 2020 League champion in the weight throw and runner-up in the shot put
- Registered career-best marks in both events at last season’s league championship and was named the men’s Most Outstanding Championship Performer
- Only male student-athlete in the nation to qualify for the NCAA Championships in both throwing events in 2020
- Finished the season ranked fifth in the NCAA in the weight throw and 15th in the shot put
Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
Jr | Mid-Distance | Kenmare, N.D.
- Won last season’s 800-meter run at the indoor league championships
- Was a member of the 4×4 relay that finished runner-up at the championships
- Clocked a personal-best 800 time of 1:50.79 at the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge, which was the fourth-fastest time in NDSU history
Trent Francom, South Dakota State
Sr | Pole Vault | Huron, S.D.
- Finished third at last year’s league championships with a mark of 17-5 (5.31m)
- Won the SDSU Indoor Classic with the same height of 17-5 (5.31m)
Coby Hilton, South Dakota State
Sr | Sprints | Marshall, Minn.
- Took fourth in the 60-meter dash at the league championships last season with a time of 6.94
- Clocked a time of 21.97 in the 200 to take fifth at the championships
- Ran a season-best 6.87 to finish second in the 200 at the Jim Emmerich Invitational
Demar Francis, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | St. Thomas, Jamaica
- In final high school season, broke a 28-year-old school record in the 400 previously held by Olympic medalist Gregory Haughton
- Clocked his record-breaking time of 46.87 seconds in February at the Corporate Area Championships
- Ran on his high school’s winning 4×400-meter relay team at the 2019 ISSA Athletics Championships with a school record time of 3:10.94
Eerik Haamer, South Dakota
Fr | Pole Vault | Tartu, Estonia
- Four-time under-18 Estonian National Champion in the pole vault
- Vaulted a personal-best mark of 17-08.50 (5.39m) to set Estonia’s national under-20 record
- Placed fourth at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Josh Tabla, Oral Roberts
Sr | Jumps | Coon Rapids, Minn.
- League champion in the triple jump after posting a mark of 48-4.0 (14.73m)
- Championship mark shattered his previous best by nearly two feet
- Finished 13th in the long jump at the league championships with a mark of 20-9.75 (6.34m)
Devin Simon, Oral Roberts
Sr | Sprints | Smithfield, Va.
- Champion of two events at the league championships last season: the 400 (47.87) and 4×4 relay (3:14.88)
- Finished third in the 200 at the championships with a time of 21.67.
- Named the men’s Track Championship MVP after totaling 18.5 points for Oral Roberts
Chris Evenson, North Dakota
Sr | Throws | Valders, Wis.
- Tossed a personal-best 56-05.25 (17.20m) in the shot put at the UND Tune-up
- Won the UND Indoor Open shot put competition with a mark of 55-03.75 (16.86m)
- Heads into the season ranked at No. 4 all-time at UND in the shot put
Luke Labatte, North Dakota
So | Distance | Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
- Placed sixth at the championships in the mile with a time of 4:14.65
- Moved into fourth all-time at UND after clocking a time of 4:12.09 at the SDSU Indoor Classic
- Clocked a personal-record 8:30.15 in the 3,000 to place seventh at the league championships
Ackeen Colley, Western Illinois
Sr | Mid-Distance | Lucea, Jamaica
- Transferred to Western Illinois after competing at Oklahoma
- Took second in the 1,000 at the Big 12 Indoors with a personal-best time of 2:25.21
- Was a member of the Sooners’ distance medley relay team that took sixth with a time of 10:11.97 at the Big 12 Indoors
Kalen Samelton, Western Illinois
Jr | Throws | Alton, Ill.
- Threw a personal-best mark of 44-9.50 (13.65m) in the shot put at the Missouri Intercollegiate
- At the same meet, launched a personal-best mark of 40-8.50 (12.40m) in the weight throw
WOMEN’S INDOOR PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
All notes/bullet points meant to reflect indoor track & field accomplishments only
Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
Sr | Distance | Bismarck, N.D.
- Swept the league titles in the mile, 3,000 and the 5,000 earning 30 points at the league championships to earn the Track Championship MVP award
- Clocked a personal-best indoor 5,000 time of 16:21.27 at the Washington Husky Classic, ranking her third all-time at NDSU
Akealy Moton, North Dakota State
Jr | Throws | West Fargo, N.D.
- NCAA Indoor Championships qualifier and named an All-American
- Ranked fourth in the NCAA in the shot put
- Launched a school record shot put mark of 57-09.50 (17.61m) at the Bison Open
- Finished runner-up in the shot put at the league championships and ninth in the weight throw
Callie Henrich, South Dakota
Sr | Throws | Rapid City, S.D.
- Placed fourth in the weight throw and sixth in the shot put at the 2020 league championships
- Won the weight throw at the Adidas Classic with a personal-best throw of 65-07 (19.99m) to move to second on the Coyote top-10 list
- Moved up to second on the Coyote top-10 list after tossing an indoor best throw of 50-10 (15.49m) in the shot put at the Dakota Realty Alumni Meet
Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | Hartington, Neb.
- Clocked the fastest time among all four classes at the state meet in the 200 in back-to-back years (2018, 2019)
- Swept the Nebraska Class C titles in the sprints as a junior, taking first in the 100, 200 and 400
- Swept the same three events at the 2019 Norfolk Classic to earn the outstanding performer award at the meet
Oksana Covey, South Dakota State
Sr | Mid-Distance | Ankeny, Iowa
- Took home second in the 800 with a time of 2:11.58 at last season’s league championships
- Was a member of the 4×4 relay team that clocked a 3:52.59 to take third at the championships
- Finished ninth in the 800 with a time of 2:08.33 in a deep field of competitors at the Iowa State Classic
Annie Wendt, South Dakota State
So | Jumps | Rochester, Minn.
- Named the 2020 Indoor Summit League Newcomer of the Championship
- Took second at the league championships in the long jump with a mark of 19-0.5 (5.80m)
- Notched a mark of 19-2 (5.84m) in the long jump at the Jack Johnson Classic to tie her for third all-time on the SDSU top-10 list
Sasha Wells, Oral Roberts
Sr | Hurdles/Sprints | Nassau, Bahamas
- Won the 60 (7.64) and the 60 hurdles (8.44) at the league championships
- Finished second in the 200 (24.73) and anchored the 4×4 relay that finished runner-up
- Notched 30 points for Oral Roberts and was named the Most Outstanding Championship Performer on the women’s side
Makayla Ayres, Oral Roberts
Sr | Pole Vault | Reno, Nev.
- Placed eighth in the pole vault at the league championships with a mark of 12-2.75 (3.73m)
- Won the pole vault event at the Mark Colligan Memorial with a season-best mark of 12-8.25 (3.87m)
Erica Benson, North Dakota
Sr | Distance | Multi-Events
- Finished fifth in the high jump at the league championships with a mark of 5-5 (1.65m)
- Broke her school-record in the pentathlon at the 2020 league championships with a score of 3,508 to finish fourth
- Won the high jump section of the pentathlon at the league championships clearing a season-best mark of 5-7 (1.70m)
Lucy Steinmeyer, North Dakota
Sr | Sprints/Hurdles | Luebeck, Germany
- Ran a 56.15 to win the Summit League title in the 400
- Clocked the fifth-best time in program history in the 60 (7.88) at the Dakota Classic
- Member of the DMR relay team that ran 11:43.73 to break the UND school record at the SDSU Indoor Classic
Paulina Wuestefeld, Western Illinois
Fr | Distance | Duderstadt, Germany
- Ran the 1,500 at the German U18 Nationals
- Competed at the cross country nationals
Carrissa Tinsley, Western Illinois
Gr | Throws | Colfax, Ill.
- Took second in the shot put at the Illini Invitational with a personal-best mark of 46-2.75 (14.09m)
- Finished 14th in the shot put at the league championships with a mark of 42-0.75 (13.02m) and 17th in the weight throw with a throw of 46-6.75 (14.19m)
Carrie Simonson, Omaha
So | Sprints/Jumps | Springfield, Neb.
- Had a lifetime and team season-best of 25.34 in the 200 at the Nebraska Tune-Up
- Ran a lifetime best time of 7.91 in the 60 at the SDSU Indoor Classic
- Notched a lifetime and team season-best long jump mark of 17-05.25 (5.31m) at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic
