South Dakota Sweeps Outdoor Track and Field Weekly Honors
South Dakota Sweeps Outdoor Track and Field Weekly Honors
ELMHURST, Ill. – South Dakota's Jeff Mettler and Bethany Buell were named The Summit League's Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for their performances March 26-April 1.
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jeff Mettler, South Dakota
Jr. // Eureka, S.D.
Mettler garners his first career Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week award after posting a fourth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Texas Relays. The junior crossed the finish line in a personal-best and school-record time of 8:54.40, which leads the league and ranks ninth in the nation. Mettler was the second-best collegiate finisher and finished ahead of runners from three USTFCCCA top-15 teams, No. 4 Texas, No. 12 UCLA and No. 14 Mississippi State.
Also nominated: Jason Martin, Kansas City; Travis Fitzke, North Dakota State; Jared Foote, South Dakota State; Michael Castel, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: March 19 – D.C. Okonta, UMKC & Casey Orgon, NDSU; March 26 – Trent Lusignan, SDSU.
WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Bethany Buell, South Dakota
Jr. // St. Louis, Mo.
Buell claims her third career Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honor and her first this season after clearing the nation's top height in the pole vault for the second-straight week. The St. Louis, Mo., native won the pole vault at the Texas Relays with a school-record height of 14'7.5" (4.46m). She finished ahead of vaulters from four USTFCCCA top-25 teams, No. 1 Kansas, No. 5 Texas, No. 16 Illinois and No. 24 UCLA.
Also nominated: Rebecca Downs, IUPUI; Courtney Frerichs, Kansas City; Paige Stratioti, North Dakota State; Sami Spenner, Omaha; Brooke Garner, South Dakota State; Alycia Thurston, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: March 19 – Leslie Brost, NDSU; March 26 – Megan Glisar, 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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