VERMILLION, S.D. – A record-breaking weekend and historic finishes highlighted the final day of the 2025 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the Lillibridge Track Complex.
The North Dakota State women claimed their 16th team title in program history, while the South Dakota State men captured their first outdoor crown. The Jackrabbits became the first men’s program since Southern Utah in 2006–07 to sweep the cross country, indoor and outdoor team titles in the same academic year.
Men’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
South Dakota State |
197 |
| 2. |
North Dakota State |
173 |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
157 |
| 4. |
St. Thomas |
87 |
| 5. |
North Dakota |
83 |
| 6. |
Oral Roberts |
60 |
| 7. |
Kansas City |
58 |
Women’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
222 |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
175 |
| 3. |
North Dakota |
162 |
| 4. |
South Dakota State |
132 |
| 5. |
St. Thomas |
101 |
| 6. |
Kansas City |
15 |
| 7. |
Omaha |
8 |
| 8. |
Oral Roberts |
3 |
Women's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship: Danika Apple, St. Thomas
Field Championship MVP: Kenna Curry, North Dakota
Track Championship MVP: Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota
Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Merrideth Spiers, North Dakota State
Men's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship: Ethan Thomas, North Dakota
Field Championship MVP: Zack Ramos, North Dakota State
Track Championship MVP: Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts
Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Evan Henderson, South Dakota State
Notes on Individual Honorees
North Dakota’s Ethan Thomas became the first Fighting Hawk on the men’s side to earn the Newcomer of the Championship honor. The freshman totaled 19 points with podium finishes in the javelin (second, 201-10 / 61.53m), shot put (third, 58-0.25 / 17.68m) and discus (fourth, 175-5 / 53.47m).
Oral Roberts’ Abraham Chelangam was named Men’s Track Championship MVP for the second straight season. He swept the distance events, winning the 10,000 meters (30 minutes, 00.89 seconds), 1,500m (3:47.51) and 5,000m (14:07.10). His 5,000m time broke his own meet record of 14:12.26 set in 2024.
North Dakota State’s Zack Ramos claimed both the shot put and discus titles with throws of 58-2 (17.73m) and 182-4 (55.57m), respectively, to earn Men’s Field Championship MVP honors. He is the sixth consecutive Bison to receive the award.
St. Thomas freshman Danika Apple became the first Tommie woman to earn the league’s Newcomer of the Championship award. She scored 16.5 points with a win in the 4x100-meter relay (45.17), a runner-up finish in the 100m (11.63) and third in the 200m (23.81).
North Dakota’s Jadyn Keeler was named Women’s Track Championship MVP after scoring 28 points. She won the 5,000m in a meet record time of 16:09.70, added a 10,000m title (35:32.01) and placed second in the 1,500m (4:24.35). She also earned the track MVP honor during the indoor season.
Teammate Kenna Curry was named Women’s Field Championship MVP after winning the hammer throw with a meet record toss of 223-1 (68.01m), claiming the shot put title (51-6.25 / 15.70m) and finishing second in the discus (163-7 / 49.86m). She also earned the same award at the league’s indoor meet.
Other Notable Top Performers
Reagan Baesler of North Dakota State defended her women’s 1,500m title, running 4:23.05 to take gold.
Fellow Bison Arienne Birch went back-to-back in the women’s high jump with a winning clearance of 6-00.00 (1.83m)
South Dakota’s Mikael Grace defended his title in the men’s 110m hurdles with a meet record time of 13.50 seconds.
James Pierce of South Dakota State repeated as men’s 400m champion, winning in 47.18.
South Dakota’s Sara Reifenrath won her fourth 400m title (52.97) and fourth 200m crown (23.40), after breaking her own meet record in Thursday’s prelims (23.12). She is the only woman in league history to win four consecutive titles in two different events.
Reifenrath also anchored South Dakota’s 4x400m relay team to a meet record time of 3:38.43, joining Averi Schmeichel, Sydney Stodden and Berkeley Engelland to secure the Coyotes’ fifth straight win in the event.
Schmeichel swept the women’s hurdle events, winning the 100m hurdles in 13.38 and the 400m hurdles in a personal-best time of 57.88.
Kansas City’s Tory Lanham repeated as 200m champion with a time of 20.83. He set the championship meet record during Thursday’s prelims with a time of 20.52 seconds.
In the men’s 5,000 meters, Chelangam and South Dakota State’s Cody Larson both finished under the previous meet record (14:12.26). Chelangam won in 14:07.10, while Larson took second in 14:11.30.
In the women’s 4x400, four teams finished under the previous meet record (3:42.05): South Dakota (3:38.43), North Dakota State (3:39.30), South Dakota State (3:40.81) and St. Thomas (3:41.09).
Men’s Champions Crowned
High Jump: Jordan Wenger, Oral Roberts | 6-11.00 (2.11m)
Shot Put: Zack Ramos, North Dakota State 58-02.00 (17.73m)
Long Jump: Nahshon Houston, Kansas City | 25-02.00 (7.67m)
3,000m steeplechase: Cody Larson, South Dakota State | 8:58.57
Pole Vault: Tre Young, South Dakota | 18-00.50 (5.50m)
Discus: Zack Ramos, North Dakota State | 182-03 (55.57m)
Triple Jump: Reece Grosserode, North Dakota State | 49-04.25 (15.04m)
4x100m relay: South Dakota | 40.38
1,500m: Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts | 3:47.51
110m hurdles: Mikael Grace, South Dakota | 13.50 – meet record
400m: James Pierce, South Dakota State | 47.18
100m: Ethan Baessler, South Dakota | 10.33
800m: Sam Castle, South Dakota State | 1:51.47
400m hurdles: Gunnar Gunderson, South Dakota State | 51.96
200m: Tory Lanham, Kansas City | 20.83
5,000m: Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts | 14:07.10 – meet record
4x400m relay: Kansas City | 3:12.04
Women’s Champions Crowned
Shot Put: Kenna Curry, North Dakota | 51-06.25 (15.70m)
High Jump: Arienne Birch, North Dakota State | 6-00.00 (1.83m)
3,000m steeplechase: Kayla Christopherson, South Dakota State | 10:43.82
Discus: Lydia Knapp, South Dakota | 170-01 (51.85m)
Triple Jump: Nyariek Kur, North Dakota State | 40-11.50 (12.48m)
4x100m relay: St. Thomas | 45.17
1,500m: Reagan Baesler, North Dakota State | 4:23.05
100m hurdles: Averi Schmeichel, South Dakota | 13.38
400m: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota | 52.97
100m: Anika Larson, North Dakota State | 11.57
800m: Berkeley Engelland, South Dakota | 2:11.03
400m hurdles: Averi Schmeichel, South Dakota | 57.88
200m: Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota | 23.40
5,000m: Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota | 16:09.70 – meet record
4x400m relay: South Dakota | 3:38.43 – meet record
Up Next
The top 48 declared student-athletes in each event will be accepted into the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, scheduled for May 28–31 in College Station, Texas, hosted by Texas A&M. The top 24 declared relay teams and the top 24 national performers in the heptathlon and decathlon will also be accepted into postseason competition.
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