South Dakota State qualified 11 entries for the NCAA Division I Track & Field West Preliminary Round in Sacramento, California, on May 23-25.

A total of 11 Jackrabbits will make the trip out to Hornet Stadium, with sophomore Coby Hilton set to run in three events and senior Kyle Burdick qualified to run two events.

It is the second-most entries and student-athletes SDSU has sent to the prelims, qualifying at least 10 entries for the fourth consecutive year.

The Jackrabbits will bring the largest amount of track athletes out of the Summit League with two entries on the women’s side and six on the men’s side (the rest of league has six women, five men/relays).

MEN

• Coby Hilton, So. – 38th in 100 meters; 27th in 200 meters

• Cal Lawton, Sr. – 40 in 800 meters

• Kyle Burdick, Sr. – 25th in 1,500 meters, 46th in 5,000 meters

• Trent Francom, So. – 20th in pole vault

• Logan Ammons, Sr. – 43rd in hammer throw

• Emmanual Phoulom-Smith, Fr.; Hilton; Daniel Clarke, Jr.; and Sam Zenner, Jr. – 18th in 4x100 meter relay

WOMEN

• Oksana Covey, So. – 26th in 800 meters

• Rachel King, Sr. – Fourth in 3,000-meter steeplechase; 38th in 5,000 meters (scratched)

• Addison Eisenbeisz, Fr. – 37th in high jump

Senior Rachel King enters the prelims with the best ranking – women’s or men’s – out of the league on the track

The four-time NCAA West qualifier finished the prelims in Sacramento last year in the ninth spot with her then-PR and school-record mark of 9 minutes, 57.75 seconds in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to qualify for the championships in Eugene, Oregon. She earned All-America honorable mention with her 23rd-place finish (10:27.92).

King has run the event twice this season, first at Stanford with her fifth school-record reset and runner-up finish (9:54.44), and then once again at the Summit League Championships, where she posted a 32.7-second win with a 10:09.85 clocking.

She is currently ranked seventh on the NCAA’s performance list, 12th on FloTrack’s individual rankings (projected Second Team All-America), and 16th in the world. If she makes it to the championships again, the St. Michael, Minnesota, native would be the second-ever SDSU student-athlete to make it in back-to-back seasons (Sara Ackman – 2009-2010).

King also qualified for the 5,000 meters (16:19.64) but scratched. She would have been 38th on the declaration sheet.

Also competing on the track on the women’s side is sophomore Oksana Covey, making her second 800-meter appearance in the postseason. She has the 26th-best mark on the declaration with the school’s fastest-ever mark in the event (2:06.09).

The 2019 outdoor league champion appeared at the prelims during her freshman campaign in the 2017 season at Austin, Texas, finishing 29th in 2:10.09.

Covey, who is from Ankeny, Iowa, redshirted outdoors in 2018.

Continuing her accomplished freshman season is Addison Eisenbeisz, as she will be the fourth Jackrabbit and second freshman to compete in the high jump at the West Prelims.

The Pierre native has the tied third-best all-time mark outdoors (5 feet, 8 3/4 inches) and the eighth-best indoor mark (5-7) for SDSU.

For the men, senior Kyle Burdick competes in his third consecutive 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter prelims, qualifying for the NCAA Championships back in 2017 to be named All-America second team (3:43.78). Last year, he qualified for the quarterfinals in the 1,500 in Sacramento, finishing 18th (3:46.66).

The Rapid City native’s season-best (3:44.74) from the Bryan Clay Invite is his best mark since the NCAA Championships back in 2017. He is the last Jackrabbit on the men’s side to qualify for the championships and third overall.

Sophomore Coby Hilton will have a busy weekend as he qualified for two individual events – 100- and 200-meter dashes – and is a member of the 4x100-meter relay team.

He managed to get into the preliminary 100 with his personal-best and school-record mark set in the prelims at the Summit League Championships last weekend (10.39), ranking 38th on the declaration list. He will be the second-ever male SDSU 100-meter sprinter at the prelims.

For the 200, the Marshall, Minnesota, native has the 27th-best mark on the declaration list (20.92), a mark he’s achieved twice this season. The Summit League champion in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay has ran NCAA West qualifying marks on his last four 200-meter attempts (21.04, 21.02, 20.92, 20.92).

Hilton is first male SDSU student-athlete to compete in the 200 at the DI prelims.

Sophomore Daniel Clarke is the lone Jackrabbit sprinter on the 4x100 relay team to have West Prelims experience, running the 100 last year as a true freshman (37th, 10.52). Joining Hilton and Clarke are freshman Emmanual Phoulom-Smith and junior Sam Zenner. They are No. 18 on the declaration sheet with a 40.12 clocking.

Sophomore Trent Francom enters his second consecutive NCAA West Preliminary with the best-ever Jackrabbit ranking on the men’s side at No. 20 on the declaration sheet. He is among four other Summit League pole vaulters after finishing third in the outdoor league championships with a PR and school-record mark of 17-5 1/2.

Last year, the Huron native finished 28th in Sacramento (16-4 3/4) and came back this season to reset both the indoor (17-0) and outdoor school records.

He is the second-ever male to qualify for the regionals, third overall, and first-ever to qualify more than once.

Senior Logan Ammons qualified for the hammer throw in dramatic fashion, scoring his PR – 198-5 – and the school’s second-best mark in the event at the Summit League Championships last weekend to finish runner-up after coming into the competition with the eighth-best mark.

The Kadoka native increased his PR over the season by 5 feet, 9 inches to earn his first NCAA West Prelim appearance with the 43rd-best mark on the declaration sheet.

Notes

The top 48 declared entries in individual events and top 24 relay teams in each region qualified for the two prelims. The top 12 finishers in each event at both prelims – the East Preliminary is in Jacksonville, Florida. – advance to the NCAA Championships, which are June 5-8 in Austin, Texas.

SDSU DIVISION I REGIONAL APPEARANCE NUMBERS

Total Total Men’s Women’s

Year Entries Jacks Entries Entries Men Women

2019 11 9 8 3 6 3

2018 11 9 8 3 6 3

2017 13 11 8 5 6 5

2016 11 11 4 7 4 7

2015 6 5 0 6 0 5

2014 3 3 0 3 0 3

2013 6 5 1 5 1 4

2012 8 5 4 4 2 3

2011 8 6 5 3 4 2

2010 7 7 3 4 3 4

2009 12 9 6 6 5 4

TOTAL 96 80 47 49 37 43

SDSU Year-by-Year

NCAA Regional History

2018

Women

800 meters: Jr. Krista Steele (31st - 2:10.16)

3,000-meter steeplechase: Jr. Rachel King (9th - 9:57.75)

Discus: Jr. Kasie Vollmer (36th - 158-5)

Men

100 meters: Fr. Daniel Clarke (37th - 10.52)

1,500 meters: Jr. Kyle Burdick (Semi: 18th - 3:46.66, Prelims: 23rd - 3:46.70)

5,000 meters: Jr. Kyle Burdick (DNF)

Pole vault: Fr. Trent Francom (28th - 16-4.75)

Long jump: So. Bryant Courter (34th - 23-6.75)

Triple jump: So. Bryant Courter (36th - 48-7.50)

Shot put: Sr. Mason Leiseth (41st - 55-5.75)

Hammer throw: Sr. Colton Bender (30th - 196-0)

NCAA Championships

King, 3,000-meter steeplechase - 23rd Prelims (10:27.92)

2017

Women

800 meters: Fr. Oksana Covey (29th - 2:10.09)

3,000-meter steeplechase: So. Rachel King (38th - 11:03.25)

High jump: Sr. Monique Mack (46th - 5-4.50)

Discus: So. Kasie Vollmer (14th - 173-11)

Hammer throw: Sr. Silvia Zanini (42nd - 177-7)

Men

800 meters: Sr. Alejandro Sanchez (25th - 1:51.36)

1,500 meters: So. Kyle Burdick (Semi: 7th - 3:48.15; Prelims: 16th - 3:59.35)

5,000 meters: So. Kyle Burdick (29th - 14:50.14)

10,000 meters: Sr. Zach Koosman (23rd - 6-10.75)

Long jump: Fr. Bryant Courter (35th - 24-1.75)

Triple jump: Fr. Bryant Courter (35th - 49-5.75)

Triple jump: So. Josh Dotson (42nd - 48-6)

Hammer throw: Jr. Colton Bender (34th - 198-1)

NCAA Championships

Burdick, 1,500 meters - 13th Prelims (3:43.78)

2016

Women

100 meters: Sr. Carly Carper (42nd - 11.99)

3,000-meter steeplechase: Jr. Megan West (21st - 10:25.77)

3,000-meter steeplechase: So. Halie Mechels (36th - 10:49.07)

3,000-meter steeplechase: Fr. Rachel King (38th - 10:52.89)

High jump: Jr. Monique Mack (No Height)

Triple jump: Sr. Jazzelena Black (4th - 43-0.5)

Triple jump: Sr. Jenna Stephens (Foul)

Men

800 meters: Jr. Alejandro Sanchez (19th - 1:49.52)

10,000 meters: Jr. Joel Reichow (25th - 30:27.69)

10,000 meters: Sr. Trent Lusignan (34th - 30:47.46)

High jump: Jr. Zach Koosman (No Height)

NCAA Championships

Black, Triple Jump - 16th Finals (42-3.25)

2015

Women

100 meters: Jr. Carly Carper (25th - 11.49w)

200 meters: Jr. Carly Carper (42nd - 24.17)

3,000-meter steeplechase: So. Megan West (46th - 11:07.82)

High jump: Sr. Mary Wirth (14th - 5-10

Pole vault: Jr. Amy Leiferman (45th - 12-7.25)

Triple jump: Jr. Jazzelena Black (22nd - 40-11.5)

Men

None

2014

Women

High jump: Jr. Mary Wirth (8th - 5-9.75)

High jump: Sr. Kali Olson (13th - 5-7.75)

Shot put: Sr. Shelby Assmus (47th - 43-11.25)

Men

None

NCAA Championships

Wirth, High Jump - 12th Finals (5-9.75)

2013

Women

3,000-meter steeplechase: Sr. Tera Potts (42nd - 10:54.14)

High jump: Jr. Kali Olson (42nd - 5-5.00)

Discus: Sr. Brooke Garner (31st - 154-9)

Hammer throw: Sr. Brook Garner (21st - 189-10)

Javelin: Amy Paulzine (26th - 143-4)

Men

10,000 meters: So. Trent Lusignan (40th - 32:37.44)

2012

Women

High jump: So. Mary Wirth (32nd - 5-7.25)

Discus: Jr. Brooke Garner (26th - 161-10)

Hammer throw: Jr. Brooke Garner (30th - 188-1)

Javelin: Amy Paulzine (40th - 134-2)

Men

High jump: Sr. Jared Vlastuin (26th - 6-9.75)

Long jump: Sr. Jared Vlastuin (10th - 25-3.5)

Discus: Jake Brinkmann (43rd - 160-0)

Hammer throw: Jake Brinkmann (35th - 187-4)

NCAA Championships

Vlastuin, long jump - 18th (24-1.5)

2011

Women

High Jump: Fr. Mary Wirth (17th - 5-7)

Discus: So. Brooke Garner (34th - 150-1)

Hammer throw: So. Brooke Garner (40th - 172-2)

Men

10,000 meters: Jr. Michael Krsnak (38th - 30:32.76)

High jump: Sr. Ben Jasinski (13th - 6-11)

Long jump: Jr. Jared Vlastuin (34th - 23-3.25)

Triple jump: Sr. Ben Jasinski (34th - 48-11)

Hammer throw: Sr. Sean Burns (36th - 184-10)

2010

Women

3,000-meter steeplechase: Sr. Nicole Davis (47th - 11:27.95)

Discus: Sr. Sara Ackman (9th - 166-9)

Hammer throw: Jr. Michelle Schuch (36th - 172-1)

Hammer throw: Jr. Jennifer Mack (47th - 164-9)

Men

400 meters: So. Leischner, Luke (34th - 47.64)

Long jump: So. Jared Vlastiun (43rd - 22-1.5)

Hammer throw: Jr. Sean Burns (33rd - 185-2)

NCAA Championships

Ackman, discus - 22nd (146-5)

2009

Midwest Regional (four regions)

Women

200 meters: Jr. Heather Wollman (18th - 24.21)

400 meters: Jr. Heather Wollman (8th - 55.03)

High jump: So. Lora Shearer (13th - 5-7)

Shot put: Jr. Sara Ackman (18th - 47-6.5)

Discus: Jr. Sara Ackman (5th - 166-1)

Hammer throw: Jr. Michelle Schuch (7th - 175-10)

Men

110-meter hurdles: Sr. Nick Schanaman (15th - 14.25)

110-meter hurdles: Sr. Andrew Duitsman (20th - 14.75)

High jump: Jr. Ben Jasinski (No Height)

High jump: Jr. Camden Helder (No Height)

Pole vault: Sr. Tyler Schiferl (No Height)

Triple jump: Jr. Ben Jasinski (14th - 49-11)

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ackman, discus - 21st (155-8)