Impressive performances earn trio weekly awards

4/2/2019 12:00:00 AM

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –A weekend full of world ranked performances earned a trio of athletes this week's Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week accolades. North Dakota State senior Payton Otterdahl and South Dakota junior Chris Nilsen share the title on the men's side, while South Dakota State senior Rachel King earned the honor on the women's side.

Otterdahl claimed the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays title in the shot put with a throw of 69-08.25 (21.24m) and extend his outdoor school record by 11 inches. He stands atop the NCAA by two and a half feet and ranks fourth in the world this year outdoors.

For the second-straight year, Nilsen captured the Texas Relays title in the men's pole vault with a vault of 19-0.25 (5.80m). This is the first time breaking the 19-foot barrier in 2019 for Nilsen. While competing in the collegiate section, Nilsen vaulted higher than the elite section filled with professional vaulters, which was won in 18-09.75 (5.72m).

King recorded a personal-best 3,000-meter steeplechase mark of 9:54.44 at the Stanford Invitational. Her time is an SDSU school record and places her second in the nation and fourth in the world in the event.

Payton Otterdahl, North Dakota State
Senior | Throws

Won the shot put (69-08.25, 21.24m) and placed second in the discus (201-4, 61.36m) at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Placed second in the discus behind professional Brian Williams
Ranks first in the NCAA in the shot put and third in the nation in the discus
Extended his NDSU discus record twice during the meet

Chris Nilsen, South Dakota
Junior | Pole Vault

Back-to-back Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays Pole Vault Champion
Brings South Dakota's total Texas Relays titles to four
Took the NCAA lead with the mark and ranks second in the world
Cleared 19 feet for the seventh time of his career

Also nominated: Ethan Buckles (North Dakota), Israel Nelson (Oral Roberts), Kyle Burdick (South Dakota State)

Rachel King, South Dakota State
Senior | Distance

Placed second behind the NCAA leader in the 3,000m steeplechase (9:54.44)
Trimmed 3.31 seconds off her school-record time
Ranks second in the nation and fourth in the world in the event

Also nominated: Kayvon Stubbs (Oral Roberts), Madison Overby (North Dakota), Helen Falda (South Dakota), Emma Rafuse (Purdue Fort Wayne), Amanda Levin (North Dakota State)

2018-19 The Summit League Athlete of the Week
March 19
M: Payton Otterdahl, North Dakota State, Throws
W: Molli Detloff, North Dakota, Throws | Bailey Retzlaff, North Dakota State, Throws

March 26
M: Ben Hammer, South Dakota, Throws
W: Callie Henrich, South Dakota, Throws

April 2
M: Payton Otterdahl, North Dakota State, Throws | Chris Nilsen, South Dakota, Pole Vault
W: Rachel King, South Dakota State, Distance

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Through 36 years of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of nearly 115,000 at nine institutions, including three located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), Oral Roberts University, Purdue Fort Wayne (Purdue University Fort Wayne), 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 12 NCAA Champions along with over 100 Academic All-Americans, nearly 125 All-America selections and numerous former student-athletes competing at the highest professional level. For more information about the league, visit www.thesummitleague.org website, follow The Summit League on Twitter @thesummitleague.

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