SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The North Dakota State men's track and field won its second straight Summit League crown and third in four years on Saturday, May 14 at the Sanford Health Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Bison amassed 227.50 points to take first, while host South Dakota State was second with 170.50 points and Southern Utah was third with 152.50 points.
Freshman Donte Smart was voted Newcomer of the Championships after placing third in the 100 meters and fifth in the 200 meters. He also ran the opening leg of both winning relays. Head coach Don Larson was voted Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Senior Eric Stroh won his second consecutive outdoor 800 meters title in a time of 1:52.52. He started the second lap in fifth place, but quickly moved to the front of the pack on the second and final lap. Redshirt freshman Alec Espeland also scored points after finishing in fourth in 1:53.55.
Stroh also placed second in the 1,500 meters in 3:56.41. Sophomore Moses Heppner was right on his heels in third with a time of 3:56.57. Junior Tyler Leverington scored points by taking sixth in 4:00.25.
Senior Sam Soholt won the discus with a personal best throw of 166 feet 11 inches. His mark ranks third all-time at NDSU. It was the first title of his career.
In the 110 meter hurdles, sophomore Matt Tetzlaff finished first in 14.09, beating out the second place finisher from Southern Utah by two-tenths of a second. Sophomore Kevin Jackson took fourth in 14.55. Tetzlaff also placed second in the 400 meter hurdles in 52.35.
The 4x100 relay team of Smart, Jackson, junior Jason Duchscherer and sophomore Lee Dhein claimed the league title. Dhein fought off a hard run from Oral Roberts' Jeffrey Gibson in the anchor leg to keep the Bison in first place.
Smart and Duchscherer were joined by Espeland and Stroh for the 4x400 relay. Smart gave the Bison an early lead and they never relinquished it en route to the title-winning time of 3:14.63.
In the 100 meters, the Bison finished 2-3-4-5. Jackson finished second in 10.68, just edging out Smart in 10.69. Freshman Nate Mattson was fourth in 10.91 and Dhein was fifth in 10.99. Jackson also placed second in the 200 meters with a time of 21.42. Smart was fifth in 21.83, while Dhein scored a point by finishing eight in 22.62.
The Bison also tallied points in the 400 meters. Duchscherer took fourth in 48.48, while freshman Dwight Finnell was eighth in 50.33.
In the pole vault, five members of the team finished in the top eight. Sophomore Jesse Morrow was second with a personal best mark of 16-2 3/4, which is tied for seventh all-time at NDSU. Junior Joe Bredahl was fourth after clearing 16-2 ¾ and sophomore Andy Lillejord was fifth with the same mark. Senior Cody Gronvold was sixth with a mark of 15-9 and sophomore Nolan Berg clared 15-3 to take seventh.
Men's team scores
1. North Dakota State, 227.5
2. South Dakota State, 170.5
3. Southern Utah, 152.5
4. Oral Roberts, 101
5. UMKC, 74
6. Western Illinois, 53.5
7. Oakland, 37
NDSU men's champions
800 meters – Eric Stroh, 1:52.52
110 hurdles – Matt Tetzlaff, 14.09
4x100 relay (Donte Smart, Kevin Jackson, Jason Duchscherer, Lee Dhein), 41.24
4x400 relay (Donte Smart, Jason Duchscherer, Alec Espeland, Eric Stroh), 3:14.63
Discus – Sam Soholt, 166-11
Hammer – Casey Orgon, 193-6
Decathlon – Ted Rud, 6,479
Men's Awards
Newcomer of the Championships – Donte Smart, NDSU (3rd in 100, 5th in 200, 1st 4x1, 1st 4x4)
Track MVP – Cameron Levins, SUU
Field MVP – Ben Jasinski, SDSU
Coach of the Year – Don Larson, NDSU
COMPLETE NDSU RESULTS – SATURDAY
100 meters final
2. Kevin Jackson, 10.68
3. Donte Smart, 10.69
4. Nate Mattson, 10.91
5. Lee Dhein, 10.99
200 meter final
2. Kevin Jackson, 21.42
5. Donte Smart, 21.83
8. Lee Dhein, 22.62
400 meter final
4. Jason Duchscherer, 48.48
8. Dwight Finnell, 50.33
800 meter final
1. Eric Stroh, 1:52.52
4. Alec Espeland, 1:53.55
9. Moses Heppner, 1:56.51
1,500 meter final
2. Eric Stroh, 3:56.41
3. Moses Heppner, 3:56.57
6. Tyler Leverington, 4:00.25
5,000 meters
11. Tyler Leverington, 15:26.82
16. Jake Henderson, 15:45.86
17. Andy Fillmore, 15:51.11
21. Tom Wagner, 16:08.05
110 meter hurdles final
1. Matt Tetzlaff, 14.09
4. Kevin Jackson, 14.55
400 meter hurdles final
2. Matt Tetzlaff, 52.35
4x100 relay
1. NDSU, 41.24
4x400 relay
1. NDSU, 3:14.63
Pole Vault
2. Jesse Morrow, 16-2 ¾
4. Joe Bredahl, 16-2 ¾
5. Andy Lillejord, 16-2 ¾
6. Cody Gronvold, 15-9
7. Nolan Berg, 15-3
Triple Jump
11. Ted Rud, 45-10
15. Brad Monahan, 44-4
Discus
1. Sam Soholt, 166-11
11. Logan Hollenkamp, 140-9
12. Casey Orgon, 139-8
15. Ted Rud, 131-10
