May 10, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) never trailed in the two-day 2024 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships, cruising to their fifth straight conference title Friday at The Dan Beacom Track Complex.  The athletes faced windy conditions on the second day of the conference meet.

The Trojans racked up a total of 287 points and finished 114 points ahead of second place Dickinson State (N.D.) with 173 points.  Viterbo (Wis.) placed third with 143 points, followed by Waldorf (Iowa) fourth with 109 points.  Valley City State (N.D.) was fifth with 82 points, while Bellevue (Neb.) placed sixth with 37 points.

Friday kicked off with the first Viking athlete to win the NSAA men’s long jump title.  Aaron Cutshall captured the conference title after leaping 6.88 meters (22 feet, 7 inches).

Wade Baker of Waldorf won both throwing titles Friday.  He set a new conference meet record in the shot put with 17.03 meters (55 feet, 10.5 inches), breaking the previous NSAA conference meet record of 16.53 meters (54 feet, 2.75 inches) set by Zachary Co of VCSU in 2021.

Baker added the discus title after throwing 46.92 meters (153 feet, 11 inches) for the Warriors.

Tysen Grinde became the first Trojan to win the North Star conference outdoor high jump, clearing the height of 2.02 meters (6 feet, 7.5 inches).

Collin Kotz of Bellevue won the 3000-meter steeplechase for the second time in the past three years.  He finished with a time of 10 minutes, 9.74 seconds.  His teammate Saba Khvichava finished second in 10:20.8.

Viterbo captured the 4 x 100-meter relay after clocking a time of 42.95 seconds.  It was the first time the V-Hawks had won the NSAA 4 x 100-meter relay title.

Cody Farland of DaSU won his third straight NSAA’s 1500-meter run title with a time of 4:02.12.

Viterbo’s Jalen Anderson won the 100-meter dash title with a time of 10.41 seconds.  He also won the 200-meter dash title in 21.53 seconds.

Dakota State dominated the 800-meter run, with six runners placing in the top seven spots.  Nolan Slominski won the title with a time of 1 minute, 55.97 seconds.

Waldorf won the 400-meter hurdles for the second straight year, won by Jorge Olivo Cabrera with a time of 57.43 seconds.  He edged Clay Kummer of VCSU by .05 seconds (57.48 seconds).

Connor Birdsong became the first VU to win the NSAA 5000-meter run, recording a time of 16 minutes, 6.98 seconds.

Dakota State closed the conference meet by winning the 4 x 400-meter relay title for the fifth straight year.  The Trojans finished with a time of 3 minutes, 23.73 seconds in the race.

The NSAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Champions of Character recipients were presented Friday early afternoon.  They were Collin Kotz of Bellevue, Caleb Roberts of Dakota State, Nick Paige of Dickinson State, Mason Brehmer of Valley City State, Ben Olson of Viterbo, and Robay Birri of Waldorf.

The postseason awards were presented at the conclusion of the conference meet.  Wade Baker of WU was voted as the league’s Outdoor Track & Field Athlete-of-the-Year. 

Treshawn Roberts of Dakota State earned the NSAA Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete-of-the-Meet after scoring 32 points.  Jalen Anderson of Viterbo was named to the NSAA Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Meet after tallying 34 points in the running events.

Anthony Drealan of Dakota State was voted as the North Star Athletic Association Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach-of-the-Year. 

The outdoor track & field season will conclude at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Ind., hosted by Indiana Wesleyan, on May 22-24.

The official North Star Athletic Association Men’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference list will be posted on the website Tuesday.
 

	2024 NSAA Men's Outdoor Track & FIeld Champion - Dakota State (S.D.)
	NSAA Men's Outdoor Track & Field Most Valuable Athlete Wade Baker - Waldorf (Iowa)
	NSAA Men's Outdoor Field Athlete-of-the-Meet Treshawn Roberts - Dakota State (S.D.)
	NSAA Men's Outdoor Track Athlete-of-the-Meet Jalen Anderson - Viterbo (Wis.)
	NSAA Men's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year Anthony Drealan - Dakota State (S.D.)
	NSAA Men's Outdoor Track & FIeld Champions of Character Recipients