Men's Indoor Track and Field | 3/1/2024 8:42:00 PM

March 1, 2024

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) had six athletes collecting the NAIA Indoor Track & Field All-America honors Friday on the second day of the national championships at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.  It is the most total men's All-America athletes produced on a single-day and single-season (5 total men's athletes with All-America awards in 2010).

As a result, the Trojans are third in the team standings after six events scored with 18 points.  Cumberlands (Ky.) holds a half-point lead over Midland (Neb.) by the score of 27-26.5. 

The heptathlon went down to the wire in a thrilling battle that was decided by three points in the final standings.

Chantz Minear led off the day with the top time in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.22 seconds for 927 points.  He moved from fourth place to second place after the hurdles.  Roberts added 8.42 seconds for 879 points and stayed in third place in the standings.

Roberts established a new school record in the pole vault, clearing the height with a personal record of 4.55 meters (14 feet, 11 inches) for 775 points.  He moved to first place in the heptathlon standings before the final event. 

He broke a 21-year-old school record in the pole vault, with the previous school record coming in 2003 by Justin Schmidt with 4.52 meters mark (14 feet, 10 inches).

Minear cleared the height of 3.75 meters (12 feet, 3.5 inches) in the pole vault, earning 549 points.  He fell to seventh place in the standings before the 1000-meter run.

Minear then competed in the 60-meter hurdles prelims for Dakota State.  He clocked a time of 8.12 seconds in the first heat.  The winner of each heat (five total heats) plus the next best three times will advance to Saturday's finals at 12:55 p.m.

As a result, Minear earned the eighth fastest time in the semifinals and advanced to the national finals for DSU.

The final event in the heptathlon was the 1000-meter run.  Minear finished with a time of 2 minutes, 49.92 seconds to collect 766 points.  Roberts posted a personal best time of 2 minutes, 55.13 seconds for 713 points.

Mason Schleis of Mount Marty (S.D.), who was in fourth place before the final event, came on top of the 1000-meter run to earn 873 points.  He edged Roberts by three points to win the national heptathlon title. 

Schleis finished with 5,157 points for the Lancers, followed by Roberts with 5,154 points.  He earned the national runner-up honor for the second straight year and earned his third NAIA Indoor Track & Field All-America in heptathlon (fourth overall multi-events All-America at DSU – outdoor 2023 season in decathlon).

Roberts' 5,154 points is the second most points scored in Dakota State's heptathlon school record.

Minear finished fifth overall in the heptathlon, scoring 4,989 total points.  He scored the third most points in school history.

It is the first time in DSU indoor track & field program history to have two heptathlon All-America athletes in same national meet.

Jacob Joachim competed in the men's weight throw national meet for the second straight year.  He tossed 17.90 meters on his first attempt (58 feet, 8.75 inches), followed by the national meet personal record 18 meters (59 feet, .75 inches).  He fouled on the third attempt.

Joachim advanced to the final round after holding the ninth best weight throw toss.  He was unable to successfully complete his next three tosses, resulting in a foul.  He finished ninth overall (18.00 meters – 59 feet, .75 inches).  Joachim ended his stellar collegiate track & field at Dakota State.

Cody Farland ran in the 1-mile run semifinals Friday afternoon for the Trojans.  He finished with a time of 4 minutes, 15.62 seconds, placing third in the second heat.  The top three runners in each heat plus the next four best times will run in the national finals Saturday at 12:35 p.m.

As a result, Farland finished eighth overall and advanced to the national finals.  He finished as the fifth fastest runner in the field.

The Trojans' 4 x 800-meter relay team, consisted of Nolan Slominski, Curtis Johnson, Evan Slominski, and Farland, concluded the second day of the national meet. 

After hitting the school record time of 7:37.41 Thursday afternoon, the Trojans finished third in the race with a time of 7 minutes, 38.69 seconds.

N. Slominski, Johnson, E. Slominski, and Farland earned the NAIA All-America accolades.  It was the first time since the 2010 that the Trojans earned NAIA Indoor 4 x 800-meter relay All-America honor (Andy Coy, Matt Fideler, Cody Foreman, and Tyler Van Peursem). 

Dakota State wraps up the national meet on the third and final day on Saturday.  The championship ceremonies are set for 12 p.m., followed by the 1-mile run finals (Farland) at 12:35 p.m.  Minear will compete in the 60-meter hurdles finals at 12:55 p.m.  James McClain will close the national meet by competing in the shot put at 2:30 p.m.