SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Broken records and nationally-ranked performances earned four student-athletes TicketSmarter Summit League Indoor Track and Field Peak Performer honors, League officials released Tuesday. South Dakota State’s Reid Pierzinski and St. Thomas’ Sam May picked up the awards for the men while South Dakota’s Erin Kinney and teammate Marleen Mülla walked away with the honors for the women. It was the third consecutive weekly honor for Kinney.
 
Pierzinski clocked a personal-best time of 47.09 in the 400-meter good for second place at the Colorado Invite. His runner-up time broke a 38-year-old record set back in 1985 after Jeff Tiefenthaler clocked a 47.29 in the event. It was the longest-standing track record in the books for events regularly contested.
 
At the Jack Johnson Classic, May scored a personal-best 5,177 points in the heptathlon to finish third out of 15 athletes. His third-place score broke a nine-year-old school record and has him sitting atop the League in the event. En route to his record-breaking score, May achieved personal-best performances in the 60m (6.99) and the long jump (22-08.5; 6.92m).
 
Kinney made it three consecutive meets of broken records after she equaled her personal best and school record twice during the Jack Johnson Classic. She clocked a blistering 7.33 in both the prelims and the finals of the 60m. Her 7.33 finish in the finals earned her runner-up honors. She also was a member of the 4x400m relay team that took second in a time of 3:55.74.
 
Mülla set the meet and facility record in the pole vault at the Jack Johnson Classic. She won the event with a personal-best clearance of 14-06.25 (4.43m) and moved up to second all-time in USD indoor history. Mülla’s winning height ranks her fourth in the nation so far this season.
  
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MEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Reid Pierzinski, South Dakota State
Sr | Sprints/Hurdles | Nisswa, Minn.
 

• Collected his second career indoor weekly award
• Clocked a personal-best time of 47.09 in the 400m to finish runner-up
• Broke a 38-year-old record in the event

Also nominated: Lucas Hofer (Western Illinois), Jesse Middendorf (North Dakota), Jacob Rodin (North Dakota State), Kevin Jackson (Oral Roberts)
 
MEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Sam May, St. Thomas
So | Multis | Willmar, Minn.
 

• Earned his first career weekly award
• Scored a personal-best 5,177 points in the heptathlon good for third place
• Broke a nine-year-old school record and sits atop the League with his finish

Also nominated: Toriano Tate (Western Illinois), Ben Hidani (North Dakota), Cam Landis (North Dakota State), Mitchell Mefford (Oral Roberts), Joe Lynch (South Dakota)
 
WOMEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Erin Kinney, South Dakota
So | Sprints | Sioux Falls, S.D.
 

• Tabbed her fourth career weekly honor and third consecutive of the season
• Equaled her personal best and school record twice
• Clocked a blistering 7.33 in the 60m to claim the record and finish runner-up
• Sits at No. 24 in the nation in the event

Also nominated: Paulina Wuestefeld (Western Illinois), Kendra Kelley (North Dakota State), Jerzie Finstad (North Dakota), Deborah Mazzei (Oral Roberts)
 
WOMEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Marleen Mülla, South Dakota
So | Pole Vault | Rakvere, Estonia
 

• Garnered her third career indoor weekly honor
• Set the meet and facility record to win the pole vault with a personal-best clearance of 14-06.25 (4.43m)
• Ranks fourth nationally and sits second all-time in USD indoor history

Also nominated: Malene Kollberg (North Dakota), Joyce Nabagereka (Oral Roberts), Grace Emineth (North Dakota State), Emma Potratz (St. Thomas)
 
2022-23 Indoor Track & Field Peak Performers of the Week
December 6
MT: Pierre Lear, South Dakota State
MF: Kaden Pastian, North Dakota State
WT: Kendra Kelley, North Dakota State
WF: Danii Anglin, South Dakota
 
December 13
MT: Pierre Lear, South Dakota State
MF: Benjamin Owere, Kansas City
WT: Ally Ryan, Kansas City
WF: Nakeita Kessling, Western Illinois
 
January 17
MT: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
MF: Kaden Pastian, North Dakota State
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Grace Emineth, North Dakota State
 
January 24
MT: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
MF: Marshall Faurot, South Dakota
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Delaney Smith, South Dakota
 
January 31
MT: Reid Pierzinski, South Dakota State
MF: Sam May, St. Thomas
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Marleen Mülla, South Dakota