FARGO, N.D. – It was the "Year of the Bison" in Summit League track and field as the North Dakota State men and women swept both the Summit League Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2026. The latter came to fruition Saturday as the Bison put together a dominant final day to hoist the 2026 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championship trophies Saturday at the Terrence Dahl and Donna Beres Track Complex.
The North Dakota State women claimed their 17th team title with 246.5, pulling away from in-state foe North Dakota to win by 50.5 points. The Fighting Hawks' second-place finish at 196 points was their highest ever at the championship. St. Thomas also had its best finish, taking third in the women's standings with 117.5 points.
The Bison men returned to the top perch for the 16th time in program history as they cruised to a 76.5 point victory over South Dakota State as the defending champion Jackrabbits finished second on the men's side with 162 points. South Dakota rounded out the top three in the men's standings with 146.5 points.
Women’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
246.5 |
| 2. |
North Dakota |
196 |
| 3. |
St. Thomas |
117.5 |
| 4. |
South Dakota |
115.5 |
| 5. |
South Dakota State |
79.5 |
| 6. |
Kansas City |
28 |
| 7. |
Oral Roberts |
20 |
| 8. |
Omaha |
15 |
Women's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship: Layla Vennink, St. Thomas
Field Championship MVP: Justina Esangbedo, North Dakota
Track Championship MVP: Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota
Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Tiffanie Magnusson, North Dakota
Men’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
238.5 |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
162 |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
146.5 |
| 4. |
Kansas City |
83 |
| 5. |
North Dakota |
77 |
| 6. |
Oral Roberts |
62 |
| 7. |
St. Thomas |
47 |
Men's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship: Otto Anderson, North Dakota State
Field Championship MVP: Kaden Pastian, North Dakota State
Track Championship MVP: Louis-Lys Fanucchi, North Dakota
Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Zach McGlynn, North Dakota State
Notes on Individual Honorees
North Dakota State's Otto Anderson captured the men's Newcomer of the Championship honor after totaling 10.5 points. He finished runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles and ran the second leg on the winning 4x400-meter relay team for the Bison.
North Dakota's Louis-Lys Fanucchi was named Men’s Track Championship MVP after earning the same accolade during the indoor season. He finished runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 1,500-meter run and took fourth in the 5,000-meter run to rack up 21 points for the Fighting Hawks.
North Dakota State’s Kaden Pastian led all men with 23 points to earn the Men's Field Championship MVP honor. The Bison senior took first in the hammer throw, second in the shot put and fourth in the discus throw.
St. Thomas freshman Layla Vennink became the second straight Tommie woman to earn the league’s Newcomer of the Championship award. She scored 16 points with a win in the 800-meter run (2:12.00) and finished fourth in the 1,500-meter run (4:29.51)
North Dakota’s Jadyn Keeler was named Women’s Track Championship MVP after scoring 38 points. She won three events during the championship, taking gold in the 10,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run, 3,000-meter steeplechase and earned a sliver in the 1,500-meter run.
Fighting Hawk teammate Justina Esangbedo was named Women’s Field Championship MVP after scoring in four different events during the championship. She placed third in the discus, fourth in the triple jump, sixth in the shot put, and seventh in javelin.
Other Notable Top Performers
NDSU freshman Ryder Bickett became the 14th straight Bison to win the men's javelin throw at the Outdoor Championship.He won the competition on his second throw with a personal-best mark of 221-07" (67.54m).
North Dakota put two on the podium in the women's discus throw as senior Illaria Villa had the competition wrapped up after her first throw, then extended her lead with a toss of 164-07" (50.18m) on her fifth attempt. Joining her as a medalist for the Fighting Hawks was Justina Esangbedo, who took third with a throw 154-01" (46.98m).
In the 4x100-meter women's relay, NDSU's Anika Larson brought the Bison to the tape first at 45.21 as her strong anchor leg clipped defending champion St. Thomas at the tape by .02 seconds. Kansas City coasted to the win in the men's 4x100-meter relay with Tory Lanham anchoring the Roos to a winning time of 40.21.
In the women's 1,500-meter run, UND went one-two as sophomore Olivia Correale pulled away down the back stretch to capture the gold, while Keeler took the silver for the Fighting Hawks in 4:27.46.
In the men's 1,500-meter run, NDSU's Ethan Moe, the 2024 champion in this event, held off North Dakota's Louis-Lys Fanucchi, who took second with a time of 3:59.96. Fanucchi's time was .01 faster than heat-one winner MJ Foster of Kansas City, who earned the bronze.
South Dakota freshman Kenya Harris won the triple jump after posting a personal best on her fifth attempt, landing a mark of 41-06.50" (12.66m) to edge NDSU's Grace Van Erp, who finished runner-up with a mark of 41-05.75" (12.64m) on her fifth attempt as well.
The Bison racked up 30 points in the 100-meter hurdles with five finalists in the event. Sydney Arndt led the NDSU quintet, topping the field with a time of 13.47, while Laney Songster (13.60) and Marvelous Onwualo (13.70) joined her on the podium, finishing second and third respectively.
It was a pair of Coyotes that finished one-two in the men's 110-meter hurdles as sophomore Jordan Damiano (13.63) edged teammate and 2025 champion Mikael Grace (13.70) for gold.
Kansas City sophomore Jacky Perez-Vela clocked a 54.73 to take first in the 400-meter dash, giving the Roos their first event title of the women's championship.
South Dakota State sophomore Lucas Flemmer outraced the field in the 400-meter dashing, winning gold for the Jackrabbits with a time of 46.89.
Renschler and Anika Larson went one-two in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash for the Bison. Renschler sprinted to a meet record with a time of 11.24 in the 100 and took the 200 in 23.43. Larson ran an 11.43 in the 100 and 23.67 in the 200.
Kansas City's Stephen Clunis won his second gold medal of the day, posting a 10.18 to win the 100-meter dash in wind-aided time. He ran the second leg on the Roos' winning 4x100-meter relay squad.
St. Thomas freshman Layla Vennink edged South Dakota sophomore Ellie Thomas to the tape in the 800-meter run to give the Tommies their first golf of the women's championship. Vennink ran a 2:12.00 to clip Thomas, who clocked a 2:12.12.
The Tommies didn't take long to register another victory as senior Olivia Keller won the 400-meter hurdles in 59.13. A pair of Coyotes finished two-three in the event as Bre Dunn took silver in 59.88 and Avery Winter ran a personal best 1:00.63 to earn bronze.
Lanham cruised to his third straight title in the 200-meet dash, clocking a 20.39 after posting a meet record of 20.34 in the prelims earlier in the championship.
South Dakota's Marleen Mülla defended her title in the pole vault, outvaulting her competition by more than a foot after clearing 14-11" (4.55m) on her first attempt. She led a pack of five Coyote scorers in the event as Anna Willis took runner-up with a clearance of 13-10.50".
SDSU senior Ethan Fischer broke the meet record in the discus as the Jackrabbits finished one-two in the event. Fischer saved his best attempt for his last when he registered a 197-09" (60.27m) to pass teammate Caymen Gebheim, who finished second after his fifth attempt went 190-01" (57.95m).
Keeler captured her third event title of the championship, coasting to a victory in the 5,000-meter run in a time of 16:13.10 to go with a runner-up finish in the 1,500-meter run from earlier in the day.
Oral Roberts' Abraham Chelengam finished off his third straight sweep of the longest distance races at the championship, winning the 5,000-meter run in a time of 14:11.57 to go with his victory in the 10,000-meter run from Thursday.
In the 4x400-meter relays, the host and team champions both secured gold as the Bison women took the tape in 3:40.48, while the men were first to the line in 3:12.25.
Men’s Champions Crowned
Discus: Ethan Fischer, South Dakota State | 197-09" (60.27m) - meet record
Triple Jump: Adam Dugger, North Dakota State | 51-11" (15.82m)
Javelin: Ryder Bickett, North Dakota State | 221-07" (67.54m)
4x100m relay: Kansas City | 40.21
1,500m: Ethan Moe, North Dakota State | 3:59.30**
110m hurdles: Jordan Damiano, South Dakota | 13.63
400m: Lucas Flemmer, South Dakota State | 46.89
100m: Stephen Clunis, Kansas City | 10.19 (wind-aided; +5.2)
800m: Brandon Kampsen, South Dakota State | 1:49.80
400m hurdles: Brendan Badie, Kansas City | 51.84
200m: Tory Lanham, Kansas City | 20.39***
5,000m: Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts | 14:11.57***
4x400m relay: North Dakota State | 3:12.25
Women’s Champions Crowned
Discus: Illaria Villa, North Dakota | 164-07" (50.18m)
Triple Jump: Kenya Harris, South Dakota | 41-6.50" (12.66m)
Javelin: Alexandra Seagris, North Dakota State | 159-09" (48.69m)
Pole Vault: Marleen Mülla, South Dakota | 14-11" (4.55m)**
4x100m relay: North Dakota State | 45.21
1,500m: Olivia Correale, North Dakota | 4:26.49
100m hurdles: Sydney Arndt, North Dakota State | 13.47
400m: Jacky Perez-Vela, Kansas City | 54.73
100m: Paige Renschler, North Dakota State | 11.24 - meet record
800m: Layla Vennink, St. Thomas | 2:12.00
400m hurdles: Olivia Keller, St. Thomas | 59.13
200m: Paige Renschler, North Dakota State | 23.43
5,000m: Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota | 16:13.10**
4x400m relay: North Dakota State | 3:40.48
*
number of career titles in the event
Up Next
The top 48 declared student-athletes in each event will be accepted into the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, scheduled for May 27–30 in Fayetteville, Ark., hosted by Arkansas. 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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