SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Impressive record-breaking performances and moving up national rankings earned North Dakota State and South Dakota State student-athletes Summit League outdoor track and field weekly honors. South Dakota State’s Coby Hilton and North Dakota State’s Alex Talley claimed the men’s track and field honors while North Dakota State’s Jennie Baragar-Petrash and Maddy Nilles took home the honors on the women’s side for the second-consecutive week.
 
At the Bobcat Classic, Hilton took home a duo of top-three performances in his events. He won the 200-meter dash clocking an SDSU school-record time of 20.63 and earned himself a new personal best in the event. Hilton also ran the anchor leg of the Jackrabbit’s 4x100m relay team that finished second with a time of 40.37. The runner-up time ranks third-fastest in program history.
 
At the Rock Chalk Classic, Talley threw personal-bests in the shot put and the hammer throw that moved him into the NCAA’s top seven for both events this season. In the hammer throw, all six of his attempts surpassed the previous school record. By the end, he established a new lifetime best of 233-1 (71.05m) an improvement of 11 feet over his previous best. His fifth-place mark ranks seventh in the country this season.
 
The next day, Talley registered a personal best of 66-3 (20.19m) in the outdoor shot put to claim the event title. His winning mark moves him up to fourth in the NCAA this season.
 
Baragar-Petrash captured the 1500m title at the Rock Chalk Classic, clocking a facility record 4:16.74 to win the event. She now owns two of the three fastest 1500m time in NDSU history. Baragar-Petrash also clocked a career-best 2:08.66 in the 800m to win her section of the event. Her time ranks 10^th in program history.
 
Nilles extended her hammer throw school record twice this past weekend. She finished with a mark of 226-2 (68.95m) to finish as the top collegian in the meet. Her new school record throw ranks fourth in the NCAA this season.
 
She followed up her hammer throw performance notching a personal-best outdoor shot put throw of 50-09.25 (15.47m) in the shot put and a season-best 167-6 (51.06m) in the discus.



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

• Collected his second-consecutive outdoor athlete of the week honor
• Won the 200m with an SDSU record time of 20.63
• Anchored the 4x100 relay that finished second with a time of 40.37, the third-fastest time in program history

 
Also nominated: Aaron Charlton (Oral Roberts), Alex Bartholomay (North Dakota State),

Alex Talley, North Dakota State
Jr | Throws | West Fargo, N.D.

• Earned his first career outdoor athlete of the week accolade
• Established a school record and lifetime best mark of 233-1 (71.05m) in the hammer through
• Throw a personal-best mark of 66-3 (20.19m) in the shot put
• Only man in the country ranked top 10 in the hammer throw and shot put

 
Also nominated: Kemuel Sloan (Oral Roberts), Austin Eppard (South Dakota State), Austin Wolf (North Dakota)

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

• Notched her third outdoor athlete of the week award of the season and second-consecutive
• Won the 1500m with a facility record time of 4:16.74 in win the event
• Clocked a career-best 2:08.66 in the 800m to win her section

 
Also nominated: Gabrielle Gibson (Oral Roberts), Rich-Ann Archer (South Dakota State), Lucy Steinmeyer (North Dakota)

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

• Earned her sixth career outdoor athlete of the week honor and fourth this season
• Extended her hammer throw school record
• Won the event with a mark of 226-2 (68.95m)
• Threw a personal-best outdoor shot put mark of 50-09.25 (15.47m) and a season-best 167-6 (51.06m) in the discus

 
Also nominated: Shalom Olotu (Oral Roberts), Micayla Ter Wee (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
 
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
 
May 4
MT: Coby Hilton, South Dakota State
MF: Alex Talley, North Dakota State
WT: Jennie Baragar-Petrash, North Dakota State
WF: Maddy Nilles, North Dakota State