SDSU HOSTS INDOOR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday, February 28

Brookings, S.D.

12:00 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Summit League Championships

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

2/27/2025 12:38:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

By: Becca Ball

SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS hosted by SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

When	February 28th Start Time: 9:30 a.m. March 1st Start Time: 9:30 a.m.
Where	Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex
Live Results	dakotatiming.com
Social Media	X \| Instagram

BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State is set to host the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Championships, beginning Friday morning and finishing Saturday evening. The Jackrabbit men will be on the hunt for their third conference title while the women look for the program's first.

SCHEDULE | INFORMATION

HEAD COACH ROD DEHAVEN

"It seems like this weekend came upon us quickly, but it would still be understated to say that we are excited for the championships. And this year the excitement is exponentially higher by hosting at home. The student-athletes are ready to give their best efforts over the two days of the competition. And over the last three weeks, both squads have been treading in a positive direction. It should be an exciting meet with some of the best student-athletes in NCAA Division I competing this weekend."

THE MEET

The Summit League Championships will be held Friday and Saturday in the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex beginning with the heptathlon and pentathlon at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Ticket sales will be cash only at the door. Adult tickets will be $10, while youth tickets are $5. Live stats are available on DakotaTiming.com, and the championship will have five different streams on Midco Sports Plus.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

South Dakota State has hosted the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Championships three times before in 2017, 2019, and 2021. The men's team clutched the conference title in 2019, the last time the Jackrabbits hosted with the public in attendance. The men later secured another conference championship in 2022. The women's team has yet to win a conference title.

ATHLETES TO WATCH

Brielle Dixon will be an athlete to keep an eye on as the senior sits at the top of the league in the 60-hurdles. At the SDSU Classic, Dixon won the event with a new program record of 8.26, a top-50 time in the nation. Dixon's PR has set her up to take the Summit League Championship 60-hurdles record of 6.28, set by Salmata Korgho of North Dakota State last season. Along with dominating the league in the 60-hurdles, Dixon is also a threat in the 60-meter dash. The senior clocked a personal record at the SDSU Classic, crossing the line at 7.51 to finish runner-up. Dixon's time is currently fourth-fastest in the conference this season and placed her as the fourth-best 60-meter performer in Jackrabbit history.

Cody Larson will be looking for a couple of wins this weekend as the junior holds top marks in the 3000-meter and 5000-meter races. Larson posted his best 3000-meter time at the ISU Classic where he finished first with a time of 8:05.54, the second-best time in the league. The current Summit League championship record was set by former Jackrabbit, Ben Olson, when he finished with a time of 8:09.82 in 2022. Larson also has his eyes on the 5000-meter record. The junior posted the fastest time in the league at 14:06.83 to finish runner-up at the SDSU Classic. The 5,000-meter conference championship record of 14:07.76 was set last year by Oral Roberts' Abraham Chelangam.

Alongside Larson, Carson Noecker and Eli Hall will be competing in the 5000-meter as well. Noecker and Hall posted the second and third-fastest time in the conference during the SDSU Indoor Classic. Noecker clocked a time of 14:15.25, while Hall crossed the line at 14:24.24.

The men's 4X400-meter relay team, consisting of Lucas Flemmer, Sam Castle, Thailan Hallman, and James Pierce, posted a new program record with a run of 3:12.12 to take gold at the SDSU Classic. The squad's time is the fastest in the league so far this season, and only a couple seconds short of the conference record, set by Oral Roberts in 2022 with a time of 3:10.44. Along with the 4X400-meter record, Pierce holds the third-best time in the 400-meters, which he obtained when the sophomore clocked a time of 47.88 at the SDSU Indoor Classic.

Hunter Wallster currently sits at the top of the league in the weight throw. At the SDSU Classic, Wallster posted a personal record with a throw of 65-11.50 (20.10m) to win the event and become the third-best performer in SDSU history. Wallster has won the weight throw three times this season, and finished runner-up once. Wallster's teammate, Caiden Fredrick, holds the third-best mark in the league at 64-02.25 (19.74m).

For sprinters, Jared Wipf will be representing the Jackrabbits in the 60-meters. At the Holiday Invite, Wipf posted a program record time of 6.71, which is currently the second-fastest time in the conference this season. Carter Toews will toe the line in the 200-meter. Toews holds the second-best 200-meter time in the league of 21.49, which he ran at the Jim Emmerich Alumni Meet.

The women's distance team is slated to have a solid weekend as well. Lindsey Rotz has seen an impressive collegiate debut this indoor season as the freshman is currently third in the league in the 800-meter. Rotz clocked her personal record at the SDSU Indoor Classic, where she finished second with a time of 2:10.75.

Grace Waage had an outstanding performance in the mile at the ISU Classic. Waage clocked the third-best time in the league with a time of 4:46.32.

Courtney Stadter will represent the Jackrabbits in the 5000-meter. Stadter holds the third-fastest time in the league, which she set at the SDSU Indoor Classic with a time of 16:47.45.

LAST TIME OUT

Last weekend, the Jackrabbits hosted the SDSU Last Chance meet as an opportunity for athletes to improve their marks ahead of the conference championships. The women's throwers ended the regular season on a high note. In the shot put, Cloe Kalanick captured gold with a personal record of 43-11.25 (13.39m). Jalyn Shepherd also posted a PR as the freshman threw 43-06.00 (13.26m) to finish runner-up.

In the weight throw, Milee Young posted a personal record of 59-03.50 (18.07m) to take silver. Curry secured a top-three finish with a mark of 53-10.50 (16.42m). Shepherd and Kalanick competed as well, taking seventh and eighth, respectively. Shepherd threw 53-01.75 (16.20m), while Kalanick posted a mark of 52-05.50 (15.99m).

The men's distance team showed up and showed out in the 3000-meter race. Dale Johnson won the event at 8:31.84. Josh Becker captured silver with a mark of 8:43.38. Cormick Logue cruised in behind Becker at 8:50.67 to take bronze. Jared Lutmer rounded out the Jackrabbit lineup with a time of 8:57.32 to finish seventh.

The Jacks dominated the men's 60-hurdle race as four Jackrabbits finished in the top four. Carter Johnson landed a spot in the SDSU top 10 all-time list with a mark of 8.12 in the preliminary race before winning the finals with a time of 8.21. Ben Morningstar crossed the line behind Johnson at 8.27 in the finals to take silver. Gunnar Gunderson and Ryan Benson rounded out the Jackrabbit lineup. Gunderson finished at 8.35 for bronze, while Benson captured fourth with a time of 8.43.

The women's sprinters continued to dominate throughout the night as Erika Kuntz made her mark in the top 10 all-time list in the 400-meter invitational. Kuntz finished at 56.24 to secure gold and become the seventh-best performer in program history.

Wipf and Evan Henderson represented the Jackrabbits in the 60-meter finals. Wipf clocked a time of 6.76 to take silver while Henderson crossed the line at 6.89 to finish fourth.

RANKINGS

USTFCCCA released its conference and regional rankings on Tuesday. The Jackrabbit men stayed solid at second in the Summit League but fell to 19th in the Midwest region. The women held steady in their conference ranking of fourth and fell to 21st in the region.

-GoJacks.com-