VERMILLION, S.D.—Four members of the South Dakota men's and women's track and field teams have qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships slated for March 8-9 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
Two-time NCAA Champion
Chris Nilsen enters the competition with the third-best pole vault height this season. Nilsen jumped a season-best 18 feet, 10 ¼ inches, at the Summit League Championships to break his own meet record. The junior has been consistent this season, jumping 18-8 ¾ for three-straight weeks. He broke 19 feet six times in 2018. Nilsen is a four-time first-team All-American in the pole vault.
Junior
Zack Anderson, a native of Parker, South Dakota, cleared a DakotaDome and South Dakota program record 7-3 ¾ at the Dakota Realty Alumni Meet. That mark is the height to qualify him for the meet, but he has cleared seven feet at six of seven meets this season. Anderson broke the Summit League Championships meet record last weekend with a jump of 7-2 ¼. He then barely nicked the bar on his third attempt at 7-5. Anderson enters the competitive field tied for 11th.
A former collegiate soccer player for the Coyotes, senior
Lara Boman has excelled since stepping into the throwing ring. She qualified for her first NCAA meet during last year's outdoor season and looks to earn her first All-America honors this winter. She launched the weight throw 72-6 ½ in the midst of an incredible competition at the Summit League Championships, with the mark holding up for gold and a new Summit League meet record. She enters the field tied for ninth.
A three-time All-American in the pole vault, junior
Helen Falda made the field in the 16th qualifying spot. Falda jumped an indoor-best 14-2 at the Jack Johnson Classic earlier this season.
The Summit League is sending a record 12 total athletes to the NCAA Championships. South Dakota and North Dakota State are sending four a piece. League newcomer North Dakota is sending two student-athletes, while Omaha and Oral Roberts have each qualified one athlete.
Nilsen will be the lone Yote in action on Friday night. The men's pole vault gets underway at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 8.
Anderson takes the stage at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9, in the men's high jump. Falda will jump in the women's pole vault at 4 p.m. and Boman will wrap up the Coyotes in competition at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
A live stream of both days will be available on ESPN3 using the WatchESPN app. The live stream begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. In addition, a tape-delayed TV broadcast will air on Sunday, March 10, at 9 p.m. on ESPN2 and again on Monday, March 11, at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
