April 3, 2026

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) cracked into the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Top 10 Women's Outdoor Track & Field national poll, announced earlier this week.  The Trojans collected 165.07 points in the poll (140.77 points from individual events and 24.3 points from relay events), joining Dickinson State (N.D.) at No. 9 ranking as two Frontier Conference teams rank inside the Top 10.

It's the highest ranking in DSU women's outdoor track & field school history since the USTFCCCA rankings started in 2018.  The previous high was No. 15 ranking during the 2021 outdoor track season.
British Columbia currently leads the national poll with 484.62 points, followed by Central Methodist (Mo.) second with 323.22 points, Doane (Neb.) third with 290.55 points, William Carey (Miss.) fourth with 276.58, and St. Thomas (Fla.) fifth with 245.94 points.

Oliviyah Thornton highlighted the Trojans, leading the Frontier Conference and NAIA in hammer throw with a school record 56.04 meters mark (183 feet, 10 inches).  She also ranks second nationally in the shot put after tossing school record 14.30 meters (46 feet, 11 inches).  Thornton ranks ninth in the NAIA discus with 44.66 meters (146 feet, 6 inches).

The members of the 4 x 400-meter relay team – Amelie Steins, Anna Schneider, Molli Thornton, and RayLee Wallis – are ranked No. 7 in the NAIA with a school record 3 minutes, 56.23 seconds.  In addition, the Trojan women's 400-meter dash event squad team ranks fifth in the NAIA with the same four runners on the relay team.

Steins ranks seventh in the NAIA women's long jump with a school record 5.78 meters (18 feet, 11.5 inches), her mark is also the NAIA national qualifying mark.

Daynica Witzel added a school record and national qualifying mark of 42.20 meters (138 feet, 5 inches) in the javelin, ranking eighth best mark in the NAIA.

Bella Maxwell ranks No. 11 in the NAIA shot put (13.00 meters – 42 feet, 7.75 inches) and No. 14 in NAIA hammer throw (49.22 meters – 161 feet, 5 inches).

The DSU women's hammer throw squad – O. Thornton, Maxwell, Alivia Bickett, and Kiana Mounga – currently ranks No. 1 on the USTFCCCA's Event squad with 196.08 points.  The shot-put team ranks second best in the NAIA, led by O. Thornton, Maxwell, Olson, and Alivia Bickett.

The Trojan women's high jump squad ranks second in the NAIA, led by Steins (1.58 meters – 5 feet, 2.25 inches), Adow Thyab (1.50 meters – 4 feet, 11 inches), Casey Olson (1.50 meters – 4 feet, 11 inches), and Alyssa Koffler (1.45 meters – 4 feet, 9 inches).

DSU women's javelin squad – Witzel, Olson, Bridget Bartling, and Steins – is ranked No. 2 in the NAIA.

On the men's side, the Trojan hammer throw squad also leads the Event Squad rankings with 211.24 points.  The squad includes Zachary Haugen (No. 4 rank in the NAIA with 57.78 meters – 189 feet, 6 inches), Lukus Mentele, Luke Borowicz, and Tarin Bingham. 

Dakota State men's discus squad ranks fourth nationally, led by Oliver Tordsen with 54.10 meters (177 feet, 5 inches).  His mark is third in the NAIA.  The discus squad that ranks in the Event Squad's ranking includes Mentele and Haugen.

The Trojan men's shot put is also ranked No. 3 in the NAIA for best event squad.  The team of Tordsen, Mentele, Dylan Johansen, and Trenton Moran are included in the team for shot put team rankings.  Tordsen is No. 11 in the NAIA shot put with 15.80 meters mark (51 feet, 10 inches).

Dakota State has added another home track & field meet to their 2026 outdoor track & field schedule at Dan Beacom Track & Field.  The Trojans will host the Buzz Stevenson Twilight meet, starting with the field events at 1 p.m.  The running events are slated to start at 4 p.m.