SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Kansas City and North Dakota State were honored as this week’s TicketSmarter Summit League Indoor Track and Field Peak Performers of the week, League officials released Tuesday.
 
The two schools had student-athletes achieve a handful of season-best and program-record marks to end the year. NDSU’s Kendra Kelley and Nell Graham earned the weekly honor for the women, while Kansas City’s Kenechukwu Okpareke (track) and NDSU’s Zach McGlynn (field) tabbed the accolades on the men’s side.
 
At the Dakota Alumni Classic, Kelley broke the school record in the 60-meter dash (7.47) in the preliminaries. The Cloquet, Minn., native won the 200-meter dash in a meet record time of 23.97, the second-fastest indoor time of her career. Kelley is now second in the NCAA for the 200-meter and 16^th in the 60-meter.
 
Graham won the pentathlon with a career-best 3,793 points at the Dakota Alumni Classic. She moved up to fifth on the NDSU all-time list and currently ranks sixth in the NCAA for the pentathlon. Additionally, Graham helped the 4x400 Relay to a meet record time of 3:53.36.
 
McGlynn cleared a career-best 6-11 (2.11m) in the high jump, tying for seventh-best in NDSU history. He currently ranks 11^th in the NCAA this season.
 
At the ISU Holiday Invitational, Okpareke a broke 21-year-old program record with a 60-meter preliminary time of 6.71. He followed that up with a time of 6.67 in the finals.
 
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MEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Kenechukwu Okpareke, Kansas City
Fr | Sprints | Kansas City, Mo.

• Earned his first career weekly award
• Broke 21-year-old program record with a 60m preliminary time of 6.71 at ISU Holiday Invitational
• Followed that up with a time of 6.67 in the finals

Also nominated: Luke Labatte (North Dakota), Junior Powell (Kansas City), Kevin Jackson (Oral Roberts).
 
MEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Zach McGlynn, North Dakota State
Jr | Multis | Stephen, Minn.

• Collected his first career weekly nod
• Cleared a career-best 6-11 (2.11m) in the high jump, tying for seventh-best in NDSU history
• Currently ranks 11^th in the NCAA this season

Also nominated: Nahshon Houston (Kansas City), Will DiSessa (St. Thomas), Harris Maclean (North Dakota).
 
WOMEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Kendra Kelley, North Dakota State
Jr | Sprints | Cloquet, Minn.

• Tabbed her third weekly honor of her career
• Broke the school record in the 60m dash and clocked the second-fastest indoor 200m dash in NDSU history at the Dakota Alumni Classic
• Improved her own NDSU record, running 7.47
• Won the 200m dash in a meet record time of 23.97, the second-fastest indoor time of her career
• She is ranked second in the NCAA for the 200m and 16^th in the 60m dash

Also nominated: Micaela Martin (Kansas City), Alexis Pratt (St. Thomas), Jerzie Finstad (North Dakota).
 
WOMEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Nell Graham, North Dakota State
Sr | Multis | Dodge Center, Minn.

• Captured her first career indoor weekly award
• Won the pentathlon with a career-best 3,793 points at the Dakota Alumni Classic
• Moved up to fifth on the NDSU all-time list and currently ranks sixth in the NCAA for the pentathlon

Also nominated: McKenzie Pearson (Kansas City), Olivia Keller (St. Thomas), Kenna Curry (North Dakota).
 
2023-24 Indoor Track & Field Peak Performers of the Week
Dec. 5
MT: Mark Daley, South Dakota
MF: Marshall Faurot, South Dakota
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Meredith Clark, South Dakota
 
Dec. 12
MT: Kenechukwu Okpareke, Kansas City
MF: Zach McGlynn, North Dakota State
WT: Kendra Kelley, North Dakota State
WF: Nell Graham, North Dakota State
 
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