April 18, 2023
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Star Athletic Association announced its fourth edition of the Women’s and Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Athletes-of-the-Week Tuesday. Kendra Odegard of Valley City State (N.D.) was named the Women’s Field Athlete-of-the-Week. Kaitlyn McColly of Dickinson State (N.D.) was chosen as the Women’s Track Athlete-of-the-Week. Dakota State (S.D.) swept the men’s weekly awards, with Conner Tordsen being selected as Field Athlete-of-the-Week while Curtis Johnson was chosen as the Track Athlete-of-the-Week.
North Star Athletic Association Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
Kendra Odegard – Valley City State (N.D.) – Sophomore – Lisbon, N.D. – Odegard unleashed the second-best javelin throw in the entire NAIA this season for Valley City State (N.D.) at Blue Hawk Games. She improved her personal best and NAIA ‘A’ automatic qualifying mark of 45.96 meters (150 feet, 9 inches) to win the javelin throw title. Odegard also placed ninth in the shot put with 11.08 meters toss (36 feet, 4.25 inches). She produced a career best 37.41 meters hammer throw toss (122 feet, 9 inches) and threw 28.88 meters (94 feet, 9 inches) in the discus throw for the Vikings.
North Star Athletic Association Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
Conner Tordsen – Dakota State (S.D.) – Senior – Fairmont, Minn. – Tordsen broke his own school record in the hammer throw for the second time this season for Dakota State (S.D.) at the 2023 Sioux City Relays. He won the hammer throw title by improving his NAIA ‘A’ automatic qualifying mark of 61.52 meters (201 feet, 10 inches), which is fifth farthest hammer throw toss in the nation. Tordsen tied his season-best shot put of 15.43 meters (50 feet, 7.5 inches) to finish second. His shot-put toss is also the NAIA ‘B’ provisional qualifying toss.
North Star Athletic Association Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
Kaitlyn McColly – Dickinson State (N.D.) – Sophomore – Hinsdale, Mont. – McColly captured a pair of titles for Dickinson State (N.D.) in their home meet, the Blue Hawk Games. She produced the NAIA ‘B’ provisional qualifying time in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 14.63 seconds. Her 100-meter hurdles times currently leads the North Star Athletic Association. McColly was part of the Blue Hawks’ 4 x 100-meter relay, winning the title with a time of 48.63 seconds.
North Star Athletic Association Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
Curtis Johnson – Dakota State (S.D.) – Freshman – Indianola, Iowa – Johnson produced his season-best 800-meter time for Dakota State (S.D.) in the 2023 Sioux City Relays. He clocked a time of 1 minute, 54.73 seconds to finish third overall in the race. Johnson’s 800-meters time leads the North Star conference, as well as the sixth fastest freshman 800-meter runner in the NAIA currently.
Looking Ahead
The North Star Athletic Association Outdoor Multi-Events Championships are slated for Friday and Saturday in Orange City, Iowa. The conference multi-events championship is also in conjunction with the Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders Invitational, which Dakota State (S.D.) and Waldorf (Iowa) are scheduled to compete in the full two-day outdoor track and field meet.
Bellevue (Neb.) is scheduled to compete in the Jim Dutcher Invitational, hosted by Doane (Neb.) on Friday and Saturday in Crete, Neb.
Dickinson State (N.D.) heads to Fargo, N.D., on Friday and Saturday for the two-day NCAA Division I Bison Invitational hosted by North Dakota State.
Iowa Wesleyan competes in the DeBacker Invitational in Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The outdoor meet is hosted by NCAA Division II Dubuque (Iowa).
Valley City State (N.D.) travels to Bismarck, N.D. on Saturday and Sunday for the NCAA Division II meet, the University of Mary (N.D.) Marauder Invitational.
Viterbo (Wis.) and Waldorf prepare for the Phil Esten Challenge on Friday and Saturday, hosted by NCAA Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Friday’s-Saturday’s Meets
2023 North Star Athletic Association Outdoor Multi-Events Championships – Orange City, Iowa
Bellevue (Neb.) @ Jim Dutcher Invitational – Crete, Neb.
Dakota State (S.D.) & Waldorf (Iowa) @ Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders Invitational – Orange City, Iowa
Dickinson State (N.D.) @ Bison Invitational – Fargo, N.D.
Viterbo (Wis.) & Waldorf (Iowa) @ Phil Esten Challenge – La Crosse, Wis.
Saturday’s Meet
Iowa Wesleyan @ DeBacker Invitational – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Saturday’s-Sunday’s Meet
Valley City State (N.D.) @ Marauder Invitational – Bismarck, N.D.
The NSAA Player of the Week is selected from a pool of conference players of the week. Sports information director representatives from each conference institution may nominate players for the specific conference award in each category. A voting panel comprising of sports information directors from each conference institution vote using the PrestoSports secure platform.
Nick Huntimer, North Star Athletic Association Sports Information Director