SOIUX FALLS, S.D.—The South Dakota women's and men's track and field teams have been picked second and third, respectively, in the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Preseason Polls released Thursday.
In addition, a quintet of Coyotes were named to the Summit League Indoor Preseason Athletes to Watch List. Among the group were senior pole vaulter
Chris Nilsen, junior sprinter
Aleksi Rosler, senior sprinter and jumper
Samara Spencer, senior pole vaulter
Helen Falda and junior middle-distance runner
Macy Heinz.
The Coyote women have finished runner-up in seven of eight Summit League Indoor Championships since joining the league. South Dakota's men have placed third the last three years indoors. The men won three indoor crowns from 2013-15.
A three-time NCAA Champion and six-time All-American from Kansas City, Missouri, Nilsen begins his senior campaign with the Coyotes. He has vaulted past the 19-foot barrier 11 times in his career, clearing an indoor best of 19-0 ¼ at the 2018 Nebraska Tune-Up. He's coming off an extended outdoor season where he won the pole vault at the Pan American Games for Team USA.
Hailing from Frankfurt, Germany, Rosler earned all-Summit League honors in the 400 meters at last year's meet with a personal best of 47.25 seconds. It marked the second-fastest time by a Coyote for 400 meters in program history, finishing two-tenths shy of a 22-year-old school record. Rosler also anchored the Coyotes' 4x400-meter relay to a runner-up finish, the best finish by the Coyotes in the event in five years.
A two-time Summit League Indoor Field MVP hailing from Spanish Town, Jamaica, Spencer scored 28 points at last year's Summit League Championships across four events. She became South Dakota's first indoor long jump champion with a leap of 19-7 ½, finished second in the 60 meters (7.56 seconds) and took third in the triple jump (39-8 ¾). She owns USD school records of 21-1 ¼ in the long jump and 7.54 seconds in the 60 meters.
A five-time All-American hailing from Torino, Italy, Falda pole vaulted an indoor best of 14-2 at the Jack Johnson Classic. She won four meets during the 2018-19 indoor season. Falda's coming off her best finish at an NCAA meet last spring, placing seventh with a jump of 14-3 ¼.
A native of Ipswich, South Dakota, Heinz missed last year's indoor meet due to illness, but finished runner-up in the 800 meters at the Summit League Outdoor Championships in a personal best 2:08.19. The time moved her to second in program history behind two-time NCAA Division II Champion Emma (Erickson) Ladwig. She also anchored the Coyotes' runner-up 4x400-meter relay at the Summit meet.
The Coyotes open the season with the SDSU Holiday Open this weekend in Brookings, South Dakota.
2019-20 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| |
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
South Dakota State |
24 (4) |
| 2. |
North Dakota State |
22 (2) |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
17 |
| 4. |
Oral Roberts |
13 |
| 5. |
North Dakota |
9 |
| 6. |
Western Illinois |
3 |
| 7. |
Purdue Fort Wayne |
2 |
2019-20 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| |
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
36 (6) |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
29 (1) |
| 3. |
South Dakota State |
22 |
| 4. |
North Dakota |
21 |
| 5. |
Oral Roberts |
20 |
| 6. |
Western Illinois |
7 |
| T7. |
Omaha |
4 |
| T7. |
Purdue Fort Wayne |
4 |
