In Review: 2024 Outdoor Season
The men's and women's teams ended their season in Fayetteville, Arkansas
RECAP: the Summit League Outdoor Championships
The majority of the SDSU Track and Field team concluded their season at the 2024 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota. Both the men and women finished third in the team standings, with 158 points and 131.5, respectively.
The men had two individual winners — James Pierce in the 400 meter (47.12) and Hunter Wallster in the hammer throw (189’ 4”) — along with a handful of other medalists, including Jake Werner in the 200 meter and Carson Noecker in the 5,000 meter and the 10,000 meter.
The women had four individual winners — Claire Beckman in the 800 meter (2:10.09), Jaiden Boomsma in the long jump (19’ 11.75”), and Leah Hisken in the 5,000 meter (17:25.98) and 10,000 meter (35:23.97).
In total, 28 Jackrabbits were named to the 2024 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field All-League teams.
Women:
Claire Beckman
Jessica Boekelheide
Jaiden Boomsma
Brielle Dixon
Leah Hisken
Erika Kuntz
Jessica Lutmer
Maggie Madsen
Nora Peterson
Savannah Risseeuw
Emily Rystrom
Grace Waage
Milee Young
Men:
Josh Becker
Sam Castle
Ethan Fischer
Caiden Fredrick
Thailan Hallman
Tristen Hanna
Evan Henderson
Will Lohr
Carson Noecker
Kudra Nzibariza
Drew Olson
James Pierce
Carter Toews
Hunter Wallster
Jake Werner
Full results and photo galleries can be found here.
RECAP: NCAA West First Round
Two weeks after the outdoor conference meet, seven Jackrabbits traveled to the University of Arkansas campus for the NCAA West First Round meet — better known as “Regionals.”
Jake Werner (100 meters), Cody Larson (3,000 meter steeplechase) and Ethan Fischer (discus) competed on the men’s side. Werner finished 44th, Larson finished 33rd and Fischer finished 24th.
On the women’s side, Nora Peterson matched her school record in the javelin with a toss of 47.66 meters to finish 29th overall. Also competing for the women were Leah Hisken, who finished 33rd in the 10,000 meter; Madison Kizer, who finished 43rd in the high jump; and Brielle Dixon, who finished 36th in the 100 meter hurdles.
Full results can be found here.
Coach DeHaven’s season recap:
UPCOMING: the U.S. Olympic Trials
On June 22, one of SDSU’s all-time greatest sprinters, Coby Hilton, will lineup against the top sprinters in the country for a chance to represent the United States of America at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.
If you haven’t been following Hilton since his Jackrabbit days, he has been on quite a post-collegiate tear. He moved out to Colorado Springs following graduation and has steadily improved each year. Just a few weeks ago, he won his first international competition in Austria, then followed it up with another France. His performances — 10.16 and 10.17 in the 100 meters — caught the eye of a big time meet promoter and shortly after his win in France, Hilton made his Diamond League debut in Stockholm. He finished second in the meet’s “national” race.
Now it’s on to Eugene for Hilton, where he will compete in the 100 meters at the trials. Hilton’s first day of competition will be on Saturday, June 22 at 6:00 p.m. (PT).
U.S. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Fredrick 6th
Caiden Fredrick concluded an outstanding first-year as a Jackrabbit with a sixth place finish in the discus at the U.S. U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
SAVE THE DATE: September 14th
The annual SDSU Track and Field Golf Outing is slated for September 14th at Edgebrook Golf Course (in Brookings). Email Coach St. John at david.stjohn@sdstate.edu to get your team signed up. $125 per person.
There will be free drinks (beer), pin-prizes, lunch and games. Dinner will be provided after. This is also the same day that SDSU Football will renew their rivalry with Augustana. Kick off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. so there will be plenty of time to get to the game following the golf outing.
NOTABLE: Academic All-League Jacks
Six Jackrabbits were named to the 2024 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Academic All-League team:
Kayla Christopherson — 3.93 GPA in biotechnology, 4.0 graduate GPA in agriculture and biosystems engineering
Grace Waage — 3.93 GPA in nutrition and dietetics
Daniel Burkhalter — 3.95 GPA in statistics, 4.0 gradaute GPA in data science
Jeremiah Donahue — 4.0 GPA in biotechnology
William Lohr — 3.89 GAP in civil engineering
Hunter Wallster — 4.0 GPA in mechanical engineering, 4.0 graduate GPA in mechanical engineering
BLAST FROM THE PAST: 1986 NCC Champions
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR
SDSU is slated to host the 2025 Summit League Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, Feb. 28 - March 1. An alumni reunion is being coordinated for the evening of the 28th following the conclusion of the first day of the meet. Food and drinks will be provided. A sign-up sheet will be up and running by Sept. 1.
JTFA REMINDER
The Jackrabbit Track and Field Association is a newly formed 501© (3) to help directly support and promote the student-athletes on the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams. The group was formed to help close the budget gap, reconnect alumni to the program, and provide a mentorship network for current and former student-athletes.
Their mission is “to provide resources to help support the South Dakota State University track and field and cross country for unmet needs and expenses to be used at the discretion of the head track and field/cross country coach.”
The JTFA currently has five members on its board: Vicki and Brian Nelson, Chris Gruenhagen, Gabe Peters and Tami Fraser.
Donations to the JTFA will assist in covering costs associated with training cross country and track and field athletes as well as the expenses that come with traveling to national and international competitions.
In conjunction with KOOL Beans (a local coffee shop), the JTFA will be selling “Jacked Up” coffee (either whole bean or ground) for $17/bag. They will also be selling t-shirts with the JTFA logo for $25.
More information can be found on the website, here. Donations can be made through either Venmo or PayPal. Initially, the JTFA hopes to raise enough to help pay for extra training shoes and alternate uniforms.
Can’t get enough SDSU TF/CC? Be sure to follow the team’s Twitter account to stay up-to-date on the latest comings and goings.