NDSU, ORU, SDSU garner first #SummitITF weekly honors

12/10/2019 12:00:00 AM

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The first week of The Summit League indoor track and field season is in the books and a number of athletes finished opening weekend with individual titles and top 10 national rankings. South Dakota State's Nick Wessels and North Dakota State's Trevor Otterdahl won the men's track and field weekly honors while Oral Roberts' Sasha Wells and NDSU's Akealy Moton took home the awards on the women's side.

South Dakota State's Wessels won the SDSU Holiday Invite's 60m hurdles with a meet record time of 8.09. He was .02 seconds off his personal-best time in the event which sits second on the SDSU all-time list.

The Bison's Otterdahl threw a career-best 70-02.50 (21.40m) to win the weight throw at the Dakota Classic and earn himself a new personal-best by more than four and a half feet. His mark ranks second in NDSU history behind his brother, NCAA champion Payton Otterdahl, and currently leads the nation. Otterdahl took fourth in the shot put with a personal-best mark of 59-01.25 (18.01m), moving him up to eighth on the NDSU all-time list.

Oral Roberts' Sasha Wells won the 60m hurdles at the Bob Timmons Challenge with a time of 8.43, .02 seconds off her school record and Summit League Indoor Championship meet record time of 8.41. Wells then turned around and finished second in the 60m dash with a time of 7.63.

North Dakota State's Akealy Moton threw an indoor personal-best to win the shot put at the Dakota Classic. Her mark of 55-04.75 (16.88m) ranks her third on NDSU's all-time list and second in the nation.

Nick Wessels, South Dakota State
Jr | Hurdles | Urbandale, Iowa

Collected his first career athlete of the week honor
Clocked an 8.09 in the 60m hurdles to win the event at the SDSU Holiday Invite
His time was an SDSU Holiday Invite record
Was .02 seconds off his personal best time of 8.07

Also nominated: Braxton Trittipo (Purdue Fort Wayne), Evan Sayler (North Dakota State), Bradley Dormeus (Oral Roberts), Kenneth McMahan (South Dakota)

Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
Jr | Throws | Rosemount, Minn.

Earned his first career athlete of the week accolade
Threw a career-best 70-02.50 (21.40m) to win the weight throw
Is the current NCAA leader in the event
Improved his personal-best by more than two feet in the shot put with a mark of 59-01.25 (18.01m)

Also nominated: Bradon Gulch (Purdue Fort Wayne), Chris Nilsen (South Dakota), Adam Mehr (North Dakota), Dominick Etherington (South Dakota State)

Sasha Wells, Oral Roberts
Jr | Sprints/Hurdles | Nassau, Bahamas

Notched her first career athlete of the week award
Won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.43, .02 seconds off her school record and Summit League Indoor Championship time of 8.41
Finished second in the 60m dash with a time of 7.63
Ran the third leg of the 4x400m relay that placed third with a time of 3:56.22
Ranks No. 5 in the nation in the 60m hurdles

Also nominated: Ally Bailey (Purdue Fort Wayne), Alyssa Lind (North Dakota State), Abby Ripperda (South Dakota), Lucy Steinmeyer (North Dakota), Lauren Van Dyke (South Dakota State)

Akealy Moton, North Dakota State
So | Throws | West Fargo, N.D.

Earned her third career athlete of the week honor
Won the shot put at the Dakota Classic with a mark of 55-04.75 (16.88m)
Her mark was an indoor personal-best and ranks third in NDSU history
Ranks second in the nation in the shot put

Also nominated: Naimah Slaughter (Purdue Fort Wayne), Helen Falda (South Dakota), Izzy Waite (North Dakota), Annie Wendt (South Dakota State)

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