____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack Elsberry, So. - Century
Coming off a 17th-place finish at the North Dakota Cross Country State Championships and a strong indoor season, the sophomore from Century could be due for a breakout second outdoor season.
Elsberry set a personal best this winter in the 3,200m, running a 9:49 en route to a 2nd-place finish at the North Dakota state meet last Friday. He is bringing a 4:32 1,600m into the spring and finished 20th in the event at the outdoor state meet last May. It seems as if the second-year distance star could be due for major progression, especially since much of his competition has graduated.
...
Nora Traynor, Jr. - Bismarck
She is coming off a strong cross country season, which resulted in an 8th-place finish at the North Dakota state meet and has only gotten better throughout the winter indoor season.
The junior set personal bests in all three distance races this offseason, finishing inside the top-5 of all three, running an impressive 5:25 in the 1,600m and 11:42 in the 3,200m at the indoor state championships. Traynor finished 22nd (1,600m) and 28th (3,200m) at last year's outdoor state meet and is a strong candidate to finish much higher in 2026.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
to receive personalized notifications when tagged in results, photos, video & articles
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
John Dexter, Sr. - Wyndmere / Lidgerwood
The senior finished 10th in the triple jump at the state meet last season and will be looking to finish strong in his final outdoor track season.
In seven appearances, Dexter won three triple jump competitions in 2025, including a 2nd place finish at the South East Regional Championship, where he set a personal best of 42-11. He enters the spring season after winning the event at the Dick Clay Invitational, jumping 43-7, which places him firmly in the mix of North Dakota's best.
...
Ella Pederson, Sr. - Rolette
Coming off an undefeated indoor track season, she looks to improve upon her 4th (100m) and 6th (200m) place finishes at last year's outdoor championships.
You could make the argument Pederson is far from a "hidden gem," but there is no denying that the senior is one of North Dakota's most underrated sprinters and could pose a real threat to the top returners in 2026.
She finished either 1st or 2nd in her first seven 100m dash competitions last season, and six 200m dashes. With another year of experience under her belt, the Rolette sprint star could very well be a top contender for an individual championship.
...
Other Individuals to Watch
Dehico Bocanegra T, Watford - Finished 12th at this fall's cross country state meet and has since set a personal best time of 4:28 in the 1,600m and won two indoor 800m races.
Jackson Kaylee, Magic City (Minot) - She finished 17th at the cross country state championships, but boasts a sub-60 time in the 400m dash and 2:23 in the 800m, making her the ideal candidate to have a breakout season in the mid-distance events.
Luke Schirek, Fordville - Another "not-so-hidden" gem is the senior from Fordville, who went 42.01 in the 300m hurdles this winter and is coming off an undefeated, six-win outdoor season in the event. While he won the North East Regional, he did not compete at state and is still searching for his first state ring.
Maycee Boyce, Surrey - While she finished just 21st in the discus at last year's state championship, the junior won five of her other seven discus competitions last spring and will be one of the top returners in the event in 2026.