Career Bests
2014
Competed at the NCAA West Preliminary Round, finishing 31st in the hammer throw. Posted region's 40th-best hammer throw mark of 198-6 ... was second at The Summit League Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw and fourth in the discus. Earned All-Summit League honors ... won the hammer throw at the Sioux City Relays, USD Snowbird, Mount Marty Twilight and Howard Relays ... was runner-up in the hammer throw at the Tulsa Duels ... finished ninth in the hammer throw at the Drake Relays ... Competed only in the weight throw during indoor season ... placed fourth in the weight throw at the Summit League Championships ... won the weight throw at the Wildcat Open and Dakota Realty Alumni Meet...named to the Summit League honor roll ... named to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence
2013
Won five events on the season and scored at both league championship meets...won the hammer throw while setting career-best mark of 185 feet, 3 inches at the Wildcat Classic...also won the hammer throw at the Howard Wood Relays and the Duals...won the weight throw at the USD Open and USD Alumni Meet...placed fifth in the hammer throw at the Summit League Outdoor Championships...was seventh in the weight throw at the Summit League Indoor Championships...finished third in the hammer throw at the Kip Janvrin Open...was fourth in the hammer throw at the Arizona State Invitational...named to the Summit League's Academic Honor Roll with Distinguished Scholar Status...made Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.
2012
Finished eighth in hammer throw at Summit League Outdoor Championships with toss of 165-10...had personal-best of 149-6 in discus at Wildcat Classic...also had personal-best of 170-2 in hammer throw at Aztec Invitational...named to Academic All-Summit League team...named to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.
2011
Earned one All-Great West Conference honor for his third-place finish in the hammer throw at the Great West Outdoor Championships...his 157-7 throw at the outdoor championships was a season-best...finished the indoor season with a sixth-place finish in the weight throw and an eighth-place finish in the shot put at the GWC Indoor Championships...had a season-best throw of 48-1 1/4 in the weight throw at the Jack Johnson Classic.
Prep
A four-time state qualifier in the discus, Denton Stephens was the South Dakota Class AA Discus State Champion in 2009. Under the guidance of Coach Kerry Beyer, Stephens led the Raiders to the 2009 state track and field team title with his win in the discus and a fourth-place finish in the shot put. He also made the finals in both throwing events at the 2008 state meet, placing seventh in the shot put and eighth in the discus. At the 2010 state championships he won the discus with a personal-best throw of 160-9 and he finished fourth in the shot put with a throw of 50-11. He owns a personal best of 53-7 1/2 in the shot put, which is the sixth best throw in Stevens High history. Stephens was also a three-time letter winner in football and was named team captain for both football and track his senior year. He is a member of the National Honor Society.
Personal
Son of Harlan and Bonnie Stephens...majoring in Health Science and is in the Pre-Physical Therapy program.
