SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Athletes from Oral Roberts and South Dakota were represented in this week’s Summit League TicketSmarter Outdoor Track and Field Peak Performer of the Week honors, League officials unveiled Tuesday. South Dakota’s Merga Gemeda and Oral Roberts’ Abraham Sargent earned the honors on the men’s side as USD’s Erin Kinney and Marleen Mülla claimed the accolades for the women.
 
At the Raleigh Relays, Gemeda clocked a school record time of 28:58.12 in the 10,000-meter to win his section of the event. His record-breaking time earned him 16^th overall in the event. The time leads the League so far this season and ranks 19^th nationally.
 
In the javelin at the Masked Rider Open, Sargent tossed a mark of 209-3 (63.77m) to finish third in the event. His third-place mark ranks him 49^th nationally in the event.
 
Kinney competed in three events at the Aztec Invitational and placed in the top three in two of them. She clocked a personal-best time of 11.50 in the 100m to finish third behind a pair of All-American sprinters from Oregon and USC. Her 100m time leads the League and ranks 27^th nationally in the event.
 
She also ran a leg of the Coyotes’ school record 4x100m relay that finished runner-up behind USC with a time of 44.95. The relay team leads the League in the event and comes in at No. 29 nationally.
 
Kinney rounded out her weekend by finishing 17^th in the 200m with a time of 24.06.
 
Also at the Aztec Invitational, Mülla collected a third-place finish in the pole vault. She cleared a height of 14-0 (4.27m) to earn her the fourth-place spot nationally and the League lead by 10 inches.
 
FanMaker
Enter the promo code RunToTheSummit within Fan Rewards section of the Summit League app for 200 reward points! If you don't have the free app, download now at thesummitleague.org/app.

MEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
Sr | Distance | Sioux City, Iowa

• Collected his second career outdoor weekly award
• Broke the school record in the 10,000m with a time of 28:58.12
• Ranks 19^th nationally and leads the League in the event

Also nominated: Keilan Powell (Kansas City), Erik Flores Buriciaga (Oral Roberts)

MEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Abraham Sargent, Oral Roberts
Sr | Javelin | Pell City, Ala.

• Earned his first career outdoor weekly honor
• Finished third in the javelin with a toss of 209-3 (63.77m)
• Ranks 49^th nationally in the javelin

 
WOMEN’S TRACK PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Erin Kinney, South Dakota
Jr | Sprints | Sioux Falls, S.D.

• Collected her second career outdoor weekly honor and seventh overall
• Clocked a personal-best time of 11.50 in the 100m to finish third in the event
• Ran a leg of the school record-breaking 4x100m relay squad that took runner-up in a time of 44.95
• Ranks 27^th nationally in the 100m and 29^th nationally in the 4x100m relay

Also nominated: Ally Ryan (Kansas City), Adrena Mazzei (Oral Roberts)
 
WOMEN’S FIELD PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Marleen Mülla, South Dakota
So | Pole Vault | Rakvere, Estonia

• Garnered her third career outdoor accolade and seventh overall
• Took third in the pole vault with a clearance of 14-0 (4.27m)
• Ranks fourth in the nation in the event and leads the League by 10 inches

2022-23 Outdoor Track & Field Peak Performers of the Week
March 21
MT: Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
MF: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
WT: Terezia Bolibruch, North Dakota State
WF: Grace Emineth, North Dakota State
 
March 28
MT: Merga Gemeda, South Dakota
MF: Abraham Sargent, Oral Roberts
WT: Erin Kinney, South Dakota
WF: Marleen Mülla, South Dakota