South Dakota Sweeps Weekly Indoor Track and Field Awards
South Dakota Sweeps Weekly Indoor Track and Field Awards
ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota's Jeff Mettler and Bethany Buell were named The Summit League's Indoor Track and Field Men's and Women's Athletes of the Week, for their performances Jan. 29-Feb. 4.
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jeff Mettler, South Dakota
Jr. // Eureka, S.D.
Mettler earns Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors for the second time in his career and this season after winning the 5,000 meters at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. The junior won in a school record time of 14:08.74, which leads the league and ranks 10th in the nation.
Also nominated: D.C. Okonta, Kansas City; Andy Lillejord, North Dakota State; Jamario Taylor, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: Dec. 11 – Casey Orgon, NDSU; Dec. 18 – Niklas Rippon, OU; Jan. 8 – Kris Leverette, UMKC; Jan. 15 – Andy Lillejord, NDSU; Jan. 22 – Travis Fitzke, NDSU & Jeff Mettler, USD; Jan. 29 – Nathaniel Marshall, WIU.
WOMEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Bethany Buell, South Dakota
Jr. // St. Louis, Mo.
Buell collects the Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honor for the second-straight week and the second time in her career after finishing first in the pole vault at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. The St. Louis, Mo., native cleared a school record height of 13'11.75" (4.26m), setting the school record for the second consecutive week. Her height is a league-best and ranks fifth in the nation.
Also nominated: Katy Moore, Fort Wayne; Michelle Momo, Kansas City; Ashley Tingelstad, North Dakota State; Amanda Vorthmann, Omaha; Dana LaRue, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: Dec. 11 – Sami Spenner, UNO; Dec. 18 – Katelynne Hartman, OU; Jan. 8 – Dahila Dyson, UMKC; Jan. 15 – Faith Kruchowski, NDSU & Sami Spenner, UNO; Jan. 22 – Brittni Hutton, OU & Sami Spenner, UNO; Jan. 29 – Sami Spenner, UNO & Bethany Buell, USD.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Entering its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 144,000 at nine universities, four of which are located in top 58 U.S. metro populations (Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Omaha). Member institutions include: Fort Wayne (Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), Kansas City (University of Missouri-Kansas City), North Dakota State University, Oakland University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced 54 All-Americans, 37 Academic All-America selections and seven NCAA Championships. For more information about the league and its history, visit www.thesummitleague.org to "See The Summit" or follow on Twitter @thesummitleague.
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