October 9, 2025
Danielle (Rowe) Van Peursem excelled as one of the best women's high jumpers in Dakota State track & field history. She is the only three-time NAIA Indoor Track & Field All-America women's high jumper in school history.
Van Peursem graduated from Polson High School in Polson, Mont., in 2007. She was undefeated in the high jump during her senior year, holding the PHS school record at 5 feet, 4 inches. She was a two-time Class A Montana State Champion in the women's high jump.
Before transferring to Dakota State, Van Peursem attended her freshman year of college at Cornerstone (Mich.), where she received the honor of runner-up in women's high jump at the 2008 NAIA Indoor Track & Field national meet.
Van Peursem produced a combined six-time Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) champion in the high jump, both indoor and outdoor seasons. She had received numerous DAC All-Conference honors, tallying a combined seven All-Conference honors in high jump and the 4 x 200-meter relay.
She accumulated a total of four NAIA Women's Indoor Track & Field All-American high jump awards during her college career, with three honors coming at DSU.
Van Peursem made back-to-back trips to Johnson City, Tenn., for the 2009 and 2010 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in the women's high jump event. She finished in a three-way tie for fifth place at the 2009 national meet after clearing the height of 1.65 meters (5 feet, 5 inches). She also cleared the same height measurement in the 2010 national indoor meet, placing fourth.
Van Peursem was in a five-way tie for fourth place in the women's high jump at the 2011 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships held in Geneva, Ohio. She cleared the height of 1.62 meters (5 feet, 3.75 inches), making her the only DSU women's indoor high jumper to collect three consecutive NAIA All-America honors in school history.
She also placed in the Top 10 for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field national meets in the high jump during her four-year collegiate career at both Cornerstone and Dakota State.
Van Peusrem's DSU school record of indoor high jump of 1.70 meters (5 feet, 7 inches) set in 2011 is still intact today. She also holds a pair of sixth-best high jump of 1.65 meters (5 feet, 5 inches) in 2009 and 2019. Additionally, she posted the fourth-best mark high jump (currently) of 1.70 meters (5 feet, 7 inches) in the DSU women's outdoor track & field school record book.
She was selected as the DSU Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year in 2011. She was also a DAC Scholar Athlete during her time at Dakota State for her academic success in the classroom.
Van Peursem graduated from Dakota State with her marketing degree, where she has promoted several non-profit organizations in South Dakota and Minnesota. She has received national recognition for her projects from the U.S. Department of Education.
After graduating from Dakota State, Danielle married her track teammate and partner in life, Tyler Van Peursem. He was also a standout athlete and earned multiple All-America honors at DSU. Together, they have four beautiful children, Lilly, Gemma, Iver, and Caden. They live in Sioux Falls, S.D., and enjoy being active and spending quality family time together.
