The South Dakota State University men's and women's track and field teams will send nine athletes to compete in 12 events at the NCAA Midwest Regional held in Norman, Okla., on May 29-30.
The Jackrabbits are coming off one of their most successful seasons ever and will send five male athletes in six events to the regional, while the women boast four athletes in six events.
Athletes can qualify for the regional one of two ways. They can meet a predetermined qualifying standard or place first at their respective conference meet.
Juniors
Ben Jasinski, from Rapid City, and Volga native
Camden Helder, qualified in the high jump with a mark of 7 feet .50 inches. The two broke the school record and set the meet record at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays. Both of them exceeded the qualifying standard of 6-10.75, tying them for sixth entering the weekend. Jasinski also topped the regional standard of 49-2.50 in the triple jump with a leap of 51-03.00, ranking him 10th.
Seniors
Nick Schanaman, from Scottsbluff, Neb., and
Andrew Duitsman, from Oakdale, Minn., each qualified in the 110-meter hurdles with times of 14.24 seconds and 14.30, respectively. The regional standard in the event was a time of 14.30. Schanaman's time ranks second all-time at SDSU and is currently 20th at the regional. Duitsman enters with the fourth best 110-meter hurdle time and is sitting in tied for 23rd entering the regional.
Senior
Tyler Schiferl, from Crofton, Neb., is the final male athlete competing for SDSU. Schiferl qualified in the pole vault with a height of 16.6.75, exactly meeting the qualifying standard. His mark is second all-time at SDSU and only .50 inches behind the school record. He is tied for 17th with 10 other athletes entering the weekend.
On the women's side,
Sara Ackman, a senior from Grove City, Minn., qualified for the discus and the shot put. Ackman placed first at the conference meet in both events and exceeded the regional qualifying standards of 155-2 in the discus and 46-11.00 in the shot put. Her throw of 172-10 in the discus ranks fifth at the regional, the highest of any SDSU athlete competing, while her toss of 49-3.50 in the shot put sits 14th.
Bridegwater native
Heather Wollman also enters the regional qualifying in two events, the open 200 and 400-meter runs. The junior ran season best times at the Summit League Outdoor Championships in both events placing first in the 200 and second in the 400. Her first-place finish qualified her in the 200 with a time of 24.26. In the 400, Wollman shattered the school record with a time of 54.19, eclipsing the standard of 54.61. She ranks 32nd in the 200 and 21st in the 400.
Lora Shearer, a sophomore from Salem, placed first at the outdoor conference championships, clearing a height of 5-7. Shearer enters the meet in the final spot, ranked 18th.
Tyndall native
Michelle Schuch broke the school record and placed first at the outdoor conference championships with a throw of 185-2.00 in the hammer throw. Schuch qualified by topping the regional standard of 177-8. She is currently ranked 7th entering the regional.
The Midwest Regional starts at 11 a.m. Friday, starting with the women's hammer throw.
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