SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Event champions and nationally-ranked performances at the Drake Relays earned South Dakota State, North Dakota State and South Dakota student-athletes Summit League track and field weekly accolades. South Dakota State’s Coby Hilton and South Dakota’s Zack Anderson took the men’s track and field awards while North Dakota State’s Jennie Baragar-Petrash and Maddy Nilles claimed the honors for the women.
 
Hilton placed in the top four in each of his events that he competed in at the Drake Relays. He was named a Drake Relays Champion after clocking a winning time of 21.16 in the men’s 200-meter. Hilton also clocked a time of 10.48 in the 100m to take fourth. He followed up his individual performances anchoring the 4x100m relay team that clocked the second-fastest time in school history of 40.24 to take third in the event.
 
Anderson defended his Drake Relays title, winning the high jump with a jump of 7-04.50 (2.25m). If he didn’t already have a 2.26m mark this season in the event, the height would have ranked third in the NCAA this spring.
 
Baragar-Petrash ran the second-fastest 1,500m in NDSU history, clocking 4:16.70 for fourth place. She leads the league in the event and ranks 34^th in the NCAA so far this season. Baragar-Petrash also anchored the distance medley relay that broke the school record by 17 seconds, running it in a time of 11:15.89 for a third-place finish.
 
Nilles won the hammer throw title at the Drake Relays throwing a mark of 222-6 (67.83m) to win by more than 10 feet. Her winning launch ranks fifth on the national performance list this season and leads the league in the hammer by nearly 18 feet.

Coby Hilton, South Dakota State
Sr | Sprints | Marshall, Minn.

• Collected his first career outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Won the 200m with a time of 21.16 at the Drake Relays
• Took fourth in the 100m with a time of 10.48
• Anchored 4x100 relay that took third with the second-fastest time in program history (40.24)

 
Also nominated: Ackeen Colley (Western Illinois), Adrian Harris (North Dakota State), Demar Francis (South Dakota)

Zack Anderson, South Dakota
Sr | High Jump | Parker, S.D.

• Earned his third career outdoor athlete of the week accolade and third this season
• Defended his Drake Relays title in the high jump
• Won the event with a mark of 7-04.50 (2.25m)

Also nominated: Kristoffer Thomsen (North Dakota State),  Noah Huber (South Dakota State)



Jennie Baragar-Petrash, North Dakota State
Jr | Distance | Winnipeg, Manitoba

• Notched her second outdoor athlete of the week award of the season
• Finished fourth in the 1500m with the second-fastest time in NDSU history (4:16.70)
• Anchored the distance medley relay that broke the school record with a time of 11:15.89 for third place

Also nominated: Jonna Bart (South Dakota), Leah Hansen (South Dakota State)

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

• Earned her fifth career outdoor athlete of the week honor and third this season
• Won the hammer throw with a mark of 222-6 (67.83m)
• Ranks fifth in the NCAA in the event this season

Also nominated: Amelia Peterson (Western Illinois), Helen Falda (South Dakota), Faith Leiseth (South Dakota State), Sheridan Rodriguez (Omaha)
 
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
 
April 6
MT: Demar Francis, South Dakota
Co-MF: Ethan Bray, South Dakota
Co-MF: Trent Francom, South Dakota State
WT: Gabrielle Gibson, Oral Roberts
WF: Akealy Moton, North Dakota State
 
April 13
MT: Ackeen Colley, Western Illinois
MF: Zack Anderson, South Dakota
WT: Jennie Baragar-Petrash, North Dakota State
WF: Maddy Nilles, North Dakota State
 
April 20
MT: Hugo Marvon, South Dakota
Co-MF: Trevor Begeman, South Dakota State
Co-MF: Zack Anderson, South Dakota
WT: Holly Gerberding, South Dakota
WF: Helen Falda, South Dakota
 
April 27
MT: Coby Hilton, South Dakota State
MF: Zack Anderson, South Dakota
WT: Jennie Baragar-Petrash, North Dakota State
WF: Maddy Nilles, North Dakota State