SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The North Dakota State men and women were picked to take home the 2026 Summit League Indoor Track and Field trophies in the preseason coaches' poll announced Wednesday by League officials.
The NDSU men, who received five first-place votes, totaled 35 points to top the poll. The South Dakota State men were projected second with 32 points and the remianing pair of first-place votes. South Dakota (26) was picked to finish third. North Dakota (19), St. Thomas (14), Oral Roberts (11) and Kansas City (10) completed the men's rankings.
The Bison, who are the reigning women’s indoor champion, were picked to repeat in 2026. NDSU totaled 47 points and five of the eight first-place votes while the Fighting Hawks were slotted second, tallying 41 total points and two first-place votes.
South Dakota and SDSU, who received the final first-place vote on the women’s side, tied for third with 36 total points, while St. Thomas was selected fifth with 25 total points. Kansas City (14), Oral Roberts (14) and Omaha (11) rounded out the women's poll.
2025 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON POLL
|
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
35 (5) |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
32 (2) |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
26 |
| 4. |
North Dakota |
19 |
| 5. |
St. Thomas |
14 |
| 6. |
Oral Roberts |
11 |
| 7. |
Kansas City |
10 |
2025 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON POLL
|
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
47 (5) |
| 2. |
North Dakota |
41 (2) |
| T3. |
South Dakota State |
36 (1) |
| T3. |
South Dakota |
36 |
| 5. |
St. Thomas |
25 |
| T6. |
Kansas City |
14 |
| T6. |
Oral Roberts |
14 |
| 8. |
Omaha |
11 |
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
All notes/bullet points reflect indoor track & field accomplishments unless otherwise denoted
Paul Olson, North Dakota State
Jr | Multis | Oxbow, N.D.
- Placed first in the heptathlon at the 2025 League Indoor Championship with a personal best score of 5,365
- Recorded a season best high jump of 6-6.75 (2.03m) at the Rick McGuire Invitational
- Finished the Indoor season ranked seventh in NDSU history
Zach McGlynn, North Dakota State
Sr | Multis| Stephen, Minn.
- Won the Decathlon at the Aztec invitational with a career best 7,697 points
- Notched a personal-best 24-9 (7.54m) in the long jump at the NDSU Spring Classic
- Competed unattached at the Rick McGuire Invitational placing second in the heptathlon scoring 5,733 points
- Did not compete attached during the 2025 Indoor season
James Pierce, South Dakota State
Jr | Sprints | Lead, S.D.
- Reigning Summit League Indoor 400-meter champion after running a 47.23 at the League Championship
- Captured a personal best 300-meter time of 33.65 at the SDSU Holiday Open and Multi
- Ran a leg of the League winning 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:12.55
Cody Larson, South Dakota State
Sr | Distance | Warner, S.D.
- Finished first in the 5,000-meter and first in the 3,000-meter race at the Summit League Indoor Championship a season ago
- Produced a lifetime personal record in the mile (4:03.72) at the SDSU Indoor Classic
- Garnered a personal best in the 3,000 meters at the Iowa State Classic, running a time of 8:05.54 to take first place
Braxton Smith, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | Waverly, Neb.
- Earned state champion honors for Waverly High School on three different occasions, winning the 400-meter twice and the 200-meter once
- Notched a personal best time of 47.84 in the 400-meter
- Garnered a personal best prep time of 21.29 in the 200-meter
Caelan Harland, South Dakota
Fr | Pole Vault | Excello, Mo.
- USATF Under-20 runner-up in the pole vault after clearing 17-5 (5.30m) on his opening attempt
- Earned All-American honors five times in his prep career to go along with four class 3A state championships
- Enters college with a personal-record vault of 17-6 (5.33m)
Matej Hrebacka, North Dakota
So. | Distance | Czech Republic
- Placed second in the 5,000-meter at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a time of 14:09.77
- Notched a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter at the League Indoor Championship with a time of 8:12.12
- Clocked a personal best time and winning time of 4:08.13 in the mile at the UND Open and Multi
Shane Zierden, North Dakota
So. | Jumps | Fergus Falls, Minn.
- Recorded a second-place finish in the long jump at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a leap of 23-7.25 (7.19m)
- Notched a fourth-place finish in the triple jump at the League Indoor Championship with a jump of 48-4 (14.73m)
- Jumped a personal record 48-9 (14.86) in the triple jump at the UND Open and Multi
Jack Rosner, St. Thomas
Gr | Multis | De Pere, Wis.
- Placed second in the heptathlon at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a personal-best score of 5,312
- Took first in the 60-meter hurdles at the Snowshoe Open finishing with a personal-best time at 7.95
- Finished eighth at the Summit League Indoor Championship in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.22
Cameron Heppner, St. Thomas
Sr | Mid-Distance | Andover, Minn.
- Placed sixth at the Summit League Indoor Championship in the 800-meter with a time of 1:54.20 last season
- Finished fourth in the 600-meter with a personal best time of 1:13.13 at the Iowa State Classic
- Ran the anchor leg on the Tommie’s fourth place 4x400 meter relay at the League Championship that clocked a time of 3:16.15
Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts
R-Jr | Distance | Kapchorwa Uganda
- Notched a 1,500-meter time of 3:47.51 at the Outdoor League Championships last season to win the event
- Also posted a first-place finish in the 5,000-meter with a time of 14:07.10 at the Summit League Outdoor Championship
- Competed in the 10,000-meter at the Summit League Outdoor Championship and won the event with a time of 30:00.89 to complete the distance triple crown
- Did not compete during the 2025 Indoor season
Jordan Wenger, Oral Roberts
So. | Jumps | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Placed sixth at the Summit League Indoor Championship in the high jump with a leap of 6-8.25 (2.04m)
- Notched an 11th place finish in the long jump at the League Indoor Championships with a jump of 22-6.5 (6.87m)
- Won the high jump at the Alexis Jarrett Invitational with a mark of 6-9 (2.06m)
Tory Lanham, Kansas City
Jr | Sprints | Kansas City, Mo.
- Defending Summit League Indoor 200-meter dash champion with a time of 21.07
- Placed second with a time of 6.82 in the 60-meter dash at the Summit League Indoor Championship
- Ran on the 4x400-meter relay during indoor season that finished second at the Summit League Championship with a time of 3:13.19
Stephen Clunis, Kansas City
Sr | Sprints | Kingston, Jamaica
- Ran a career best 6.65 in the 60-meter dash at the Tyson Invitational to notch the fastest League time during the 2024-2025 Indoor season
- Posted a top three finish in the 60-meter dash in five of the six indoor meets he competed in a season ago
- Notched a first-place finish at the Bob Timmons Challenge and the Iowa State Holiday invitational with a time of 6.66 in the 60-meter at both races
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
All notes/bullet points reflect indoor track & field accomplishments unless otherwise denoted
Arienne Birch, North Dakota State
Jr | Jumps | Mississauga, Ontario
- Earned All-League recognition in the high jump after winning the Summit League Indoor Championship with a mark of 5-09.75 (1.77m)
- Placed first in the high jump in six of the seven Indoor meets a season ago
- Finished first in the high jump at the UND Tune Up with a leap of 5-9.25 (1.76)
Anika Larson, North Dakota State
Jr | Sprints | Cambridge, Minn.
- Earned All-League recognition after placing second in the 60-meter dash at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a time of 7.41
- Garnered a career best time of 7.41 in the 60-meter dash at the Music City Challenge to place third
- Placed second in the 200-meter at the League Indoor championship with a time of 23.93
Julia Matthews, North Dakota
Jr | Throws | Eden Prairie, Minn.
- Placed seventh in the shot put at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a toss of 45-7 (13.80m)
- Notched an eighth-place finish in the weight throw at the League Indoor Championships with a mark of 57-2.25 (17.43m)
- Threw a career best 59-9.75 (18.23) in the weight throw at the Dakota Alumni Classic
Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota
Sr. | Distance | Barrie,Ontario,Canada
- Completed the distance trifecta at the Summit League Indoor Championship by winning the mile running (4:45.90), the 3,000-meter (9:21.78) and the 5,000-meter (16:20.88) en route to earning Track Championship MVP
- Ran the fastest 5,000-meter time in UND history with a 15:28.29 at the David Hemery Invitational
- Earned Second Team All-American honors at the NCAA Championships after finishing 10th in the 5,000-meter with a time of 15:31.63
Kali Ringstmeyer, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints | Pierre, S.D.
- Four-time state champion for Pierre (S.D.) High School, sweeping the 100 and 200-meter titles at the Class AA State meet as a senior
- Finished as the Class AA meet record holder in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.80
- Notched prep personal bests of 11.77 in the 100-meter and 24.49 in the 200-meter dashes
Kenya Harris, South Dakota
Fr | Sprints/Jumps | Chicago, Ill.
- Recorded a first-place finish in the triple jump at the Class AA South Dakota High School State Meet with a leap of 38-00.50 (11.60m)
- Recorded a Howard Wood Dakota Relays record of 39-8.25 (12.10m) in the triple jump
- Competed in the Class AA SDHSAA Track & Field meet where she placed first in the 300-meter hurdles (44.13), second in the 100-meter hurdles (14.74), and fourth in the long jump with a leap of 17-05.75 (5.33m)
Chloe Raw, South Dakota State
Fr | Sprints | Arlington, S.D.
- Ran a personal best of 11.78 at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in the 100-meter dash as a senior
- Finished second at the Class B SDHSAA Track & Field Meet in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.09
- Took silver in the 200-meter at the Class B SDSHAA Track & Field Meet with a personal best time of 24.32
Lindsey Rotz, South Dakota State
So | Distance | Pelican Rapids, Minn.
- Placed second in the 800-meter at the League Indoor Championship with a time of 2:10.77
- Ran a season best 800-meter at the SDSU Indoor Classic with a time of 2:10.75
- Finished first in the 1,000-meter at the Jim Emmerich Alumni Meet with a time of 2:55.36
Olivia Keller, St. Thomas
Sr | Multis | Burnsville, Minn.
- Placed fifth in the pentathlon at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a score of 3597
- Set a program record in the pentathlon to start the season with a score of 3751, which ranked third among Summit League pentathletes a season ago
- Placed seventh at the League Championships in the long jump with a leap of 18-5 (5.61m)
Danika Apple, St. Thomas
So | Sprints | Green Bay, Wis.
- Started the Indoor season placing second at the M City Indoor Classic in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.65
- Placed fourth in the 60-meter dash at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a time of 7.53 and sixth in the 200-meter with a time of 24.63
- Ran a personal best time of 7.46 in the 60-meter dash at the SDSU Indoor Classic to take first place
Mariah Belmont, Kansas City
So. | Distance | Macomb, Mich.
- Ran a personal record of 10:23.20 in the 3,000-meter at the Show-Me Showdown to finish in fourth place
- Finished in 18th place in the 5,000-meter with a time of 17:50.07 at the Summit League Indoor Championship
- Notched a season best time of 5:19.54 in the mile at the Washburn Open
Jacky Perez-Vela, Kansas City
So | Sprints | Wyandotte, Kan.
- Finished in ninth place at the Summit League Indoor Championship in the 400-meter with a time of 56.45
- Ran a leg of the Roos 4x400 meter relay that finished seventh at the League Indoor Championship with a time of 3:54.76
- Started her freshman season with a 10th place finish at the Iowa State Holiday Invitational in the 400-meter with a time of 59.03
Olivia Granderson, Oral Roberts
Jr | Sprints | Tulsa, Okla.
- Recorded an indoor-best time of 25.32 in the 200-meter dash at the Washburn Open
- Finished in 13th place at the Summit League Championship in the 400-meter with a time of 57.66
- Helped the 4x400-meter relay team to an eighth-place finish at the League Indoor Championship with a time of 3:55.88.
Madeline Cabana, Oral Roberts
So | Distance | Clinton, Arkansas
- Notched a personal best time of 17:26.62 in the 5,000-meter at the Summit League Indoor Championship to place 14th
- Placed 17th at the League Indoor Championship with a time of 10:32.72
- Ran a personal best mile time of 5:25.44 at the Alexis Jarrett invitational
Emma Klein, Omaha
Sr. | Jumps | Gower, Mo.
- Placed eighth at the 2025 Indoor Summit League Championships in the triple jump with a personal best leap of 39-6 (12.04m)
- Notched a career best time of 7.92 in the 60-meter dash at the Nebraska Tune up to finish fourth
- Currently sits sixth All-Time in Omaha program history in the triple jump.
Meredith Richter, Omaha
So. | Mid Distance | Medford, Wis.
- Ran a personal best time of 59.67 in the 400-meter at the Nebraska Tune-Up
- Finished in ninth place at the Summit League Championships in the 800-meter with an indoor best time of 2:13.36
- Currently sits 10th all-time in Omaha program history in the 800-meter
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