SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Another week, another round of personal bests and moving up the national rankings. Because of their performances throughout the weekend, South Dakota’s Demar Francis, Ethan Bray and South Dakota State’s Trent Francom collected the Summit League men’s track and field athlete of the week honors while Oral Roberts’ Gabrielle Gibson and North Dakota State’s Akealy Moton earned the accolades on the women’s side.
 
At the USD Early Bird meet, Francis ran on the Coyotes’ winning 4x100 relay team that clocked a time of 40.24 seconds to break the Lillibridge Track Complex and Gottsleben Field facility record. The time improved their league lead and ranks 26^th in the NCAA. In addition to his winning relay performance, Francis took third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.67.
 
Bray and Francom earned co-field athlete of the week accolades after both vaulted an outdoor best height of 18-5 (5.61m) to at the USD Early Bird meet. Their tied height leads the league and ties for sixth overall in the nation.
 
At the Bobby Lane UTA Invitational, Gibson turned in three top-six finishes. The sophomore won the 100m hurdles with the league’s second-fastest time of 13.69. She also ran the second leg of the 4x100 relay that placed second (46.64) and added a sixth-place finish in the 400m hurdles (1:05.35).
 
Moton tacked a foot onto her outdoor school record in the shot put to win the event at the NDSU Spring Classic. She mustered a throw of 58-04.50 (17.79m) to move into second in the nation in the shot put this season. She extended her school record for the second straight week this time by nearly 13 inches. Moton also took second place in the javelin with a mark of 160-9 (49.01m) which ranks 39^th in the NCAA this year.



Demar Francis, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | St. Thomas, Jamaica

• Collected his first career outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Ran a leg of the winning 4x100 relay team and finished third in the 100m
• His 4x100 relay team’s winning time ranks 26^th in the NCAA

Also nominated: Devin Simon (Oral Roberts), Jacob Rodin (North Dakota State), Ackeen Colley (Western Illinois), Reid Pierzinski (South Dakota State)

Ethan Bray, South Dakota
Sr | Pole Vault | Fishers, Ind.

• Earned his first career outdoor athlete of the week accolade
• Notched an outdoor best height of 18-5 (5.61m)
• His height ranks tied for sixth in the nation

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

• Earned his second-consecutive outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Recorded a career-high mark of 18-5 (5.61m) in the pole vault
• His height ranks tied for sixth in the nation

Also nominated: Kemuel Sloan (Oral Roberts), Alex Talley (North Dakota State)
 
Gabrielle Gibson, Oral Roberts
So | Sprints/Hurdles | Nassau Bahamas

• Notched her first career outdoor athlete of the week award
• Finishing in the top six in three events during the weekend
• Won the 100m hurdles with the league’s second-fastest time of 13.69

Also nominated: Kendra Kelley (North Dakota State), Lucy Steinmeyer (North Dakota), Sara Reifenrath (South Dakota), Jaymie O’Connor (South Dakota State)

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

• Earned her third career outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Broke the school and facility record in the shot put with a throw of 58-04.50 (17.79m)
• Ranks second in the nation in the shot put this season

Also nominated: Shalom Olotu (Oral Roberts), Amelia Peterson (Western Illinois), Lori Vedder (Omaha), Destinee Rose-Haas (North Dakota), Carly Haring (South Dakota), Faith Leiseth (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
 
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