SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota junior Chris Nilsen has been named the Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week for the period ended April 23. Nilsen garners a weekly league award for the 20th time in his career.
 
Nilsen vaulted a world-leading 19 feet, 1 inch, at the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, California, on Saturday. He vaulted a centimeter past previous world-leader Kurtis Marschall of Australia. He also improved his NCAA lead in the event by two centimeters.
 
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Nilsen has found consistency in his junior season with seven meets at or above the IAAF World Qualifying standard of 18-8 ¾. He has twice jumped over 19 feet this season.
 
Nilsen has vaulted above the 19-foot barrier eight times in his career, while this weekend's 19-1 marks his third-highest jump. He joins Lawrence Johnson, the NCAA record-holder in the event from 1996, as the only two vaulters to have cleared 19-1 or higher three times in their collegiate careers. Nilsen owns four of the top-14 marks in NCAA outdoor history.

Coyote track and field hosts the final home athletic event of the 2018-19 season with the USD Twilight today. Field events begin at 3 p.m. while running events start at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth.