SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota and Western Illinois notch season-best performances to claim this week’s TicketSmarter Summit League Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week accolades, league officials release Tuesday. Western Illinois’ Ackeen Colley and South Dakota’s Eerik Haamer took home the men’s track and field honors while USD’s Sara Reifenrath and Gen Hirata picked up the awards on the women’s side.
 
Colley now ranks 23^rd in the nation in the 800-meter after his performance at the Music City Challenge. He clocked a personal-best and school-record time of 1:48.22 to place fifth overall and first in his section.
 
Haamer moved to seventh in the nation in the pole vault after winning the event at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge. He recorded a mark of 18-1 (5.51m) to improve his season-best height this season.
 
At the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge, Reifenrath ran a leg of the Coyotes’ winning 4x400-meter relay that broke a 24-year-old school record, clocking 3:43.12. The winning time leads the league by four seconds. She also finished runner-up in the 200 meters with a time of 23.84. Reifenrath is the only league athlete to clock under 24 seconds in the event this season.
 
Hirata paced the Coyotes in the pole vault at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge. She cleared a season-best 14-2.75 (4.43m) to claim the event. Her winning mark moved her into first in the league and 14^th nationally.


 
Ackeen Colley, Western Illinois
Sr | Distance | Lucea, Jamaica

• Collected his first career indoor athlete of the week honor
• Clocked a personal-best and school-record time of 1:48.22 in the 800-meter
• Ranks 23^rd in the nation in the event this season

Also nominated: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State; Dylan Kautz, South Dakota; Luke Labatte, North Dakota
 
Eerik Haamer, South Dakota
Fr | Pole Vault | Tartu, Estonia

• Notched his second career indoor athlete of the week accolade and second this season
• Won the pole vault with a season-best height of 18-1 (5.51m)
• Moved up to seventh in the nation in the event

Also nominated: Jonathan Vasquez, Oral Roberts; Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
 
Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | Hartington, Neb.

• Earned her fifth career indoor athlete of the week award and second this season
• Ran a leg of the USD winning 4x400-meter relay that broke a 24-year-old school record
• Finished runner-up in the 200 meters with a time of 23:84
• Is the only league athlete to clock under 24 seconds in the event

Also nominated: Gabrielle Gibson, Oral Roberts; Leah Hansen, South Dakota State; Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
 
Gen Hirata, South Dakota
So | Pole Vault | Fredericksburg, Va.

• Earned the second indoor athlete of the week honor of her career
• Won the pole vault with a season-best mark of 14-2.75 (4.43m)
• Ranks 14^th in the nation in the event this season

Also nominated: Kristina Willis, Oral Roberts; Grace Emineth, North Dakota State; Natalie Mohring, North Dakota
 
2021-22 Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
December 7
MT: Reid Perzinski, South Dakota State
MF: Kristoffer Thomsen, North Dakota State
WT: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
WF: Marleen Mülla, South Dakota
 
January 11
MF: Parker Feuerborn, St. Thomas
WF: Caroline Anderson, St. Thomas
 
January 18
MT: Brithton Senior, South Dakota
MF: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
WT: Indea Cartwright, Oral Roberts
WF: Marleen Mülla, South Dakota
 
January 25
MT: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
MF: Trent Francom, South Dakota State
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Amy (Herrington) Phillips, North Dakota State
 
February 1
MT: Jared Wipf, South Dakota State
MF: Eerik Haamer, South Dakota
WT: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
WF: Elise Ulseth, North Dakota
 
February 8
MT: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
MF: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
WT: Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
WF: Amanda Anderson, North Dakota State
 
February 15
MT: Ackeen Colley, Western Illinois
MF: Eerik Haamer, South Dakota
WT: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
WF: Gen Hirata, South Dakota