SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The outdoor track and field season is back in full swing and several Summit League athletes moved up the national rankings with standout performances this past weekend. South Dakota’s Brithton Senior and South Dakota State’s Trent Francom notched the men’s track and field athlete of the week accolades while USD’s Sara Reifenrath and North Dakota State’s Maddy Nilles took home the honors on the women’s side.
 
Senior opened the outdoor season with a runner-up finish in the 110-meter hurdles to the 2021 NCAA Indoor Hurdles Champion Damion Thomas of LSU at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. He clocked a wind-legal time of 13.54 to break the school record of 13.59 held by his coach Teivaskie Lewin. His record-breaking time ranks fifth in the nation.
 
Francom opened his outdoor season at the ORU Invite where he claimed the pole vault event with a height of 17-10.50 (5.45m). His winning vault further extended his school record and is tied for the ninth-best mark in the country.
 
Reifenrath opened her first collegiate outdoor season with a seventh-place finish in the 400-meters at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. She clocked a time of 53.70 which ranks 18^th in the nation and second all-time in school history. Reifenrath also anchored the Coyotes’ 4x400 relay to a seventh-place finish and ran on the 4x100 relay team.
 
In her first outdoor meet as a Bison since she earned first-team All-America honors in the hammer throw at the NCAA Championships in June 2018, Nilles extend her school record in the event at the Shocker Spring Invitational. She launched a mark of 220-5 (67.19m) in the hammer throw to extend her previous school record by more than two feet. Her winning mark ranks second in the NCAA this season.

Brithton Senior, South Dakota
So | Hurdles | Hanover, Jamaica

• Collected his first career outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Finished runner-up in the 110m hurdles at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
• Broke his coach’s school record in the event with a time of 13.54

Also nominated: Josh Samyn (North Dakota State), Josh Yeagar (South Dakota State)

Trent Francom, South Dakota State
Sr | Pole Vault | Huron, S.D.

• Earned his first career outdoor athlete of the week accolade
• Won the pole vault at the ORU Invite with a vault of 17-10.50 (5.45m)
• Extended his school record with his winning mark and ranks ninth in the nation

Also nominated: Benji Phillips (North Dakota State), Zack Anderson (South Dakota)
 


Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | Hartington, Neb.

• Notched her first career outdoor athlete of the week award
• Finished seventh in the 400m with a time of 53.70 at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
• Her time of 53.70 ranks 18^th in the nation so far this season

Also nominated: Jennie Baragar-Petrash (North Dakota State), Ellie Friesen (South Dakota State)

Maddy Nilles, North Dakota State
Sr | Throws | Sherrill, Iowa

• Earned her third career outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Extended her school record in the hammer throw with a winning mark of 220-5 (67.19m)
• Her winning launch ranks second in the NCAA for the hammer throw

Also nominated: Gen Hirata (South Dakota State), Emily Altenburg (South Dakota State)
 
2021 Outdoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
March 23
MT: Luke Labatte, North Dakota
MF: Chris Evenson, North Dakota
WT: Lucy Steinmeyer, North Dakota
WF: Destinee Rose-Haas, North Dakota
 
March 30
MT: Brithton Senior, South Dakota
MF: Trent Francom, South Dakota State
WT: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
WF: Maddy Nilles, North Dakota State