BROOKINGS, S.D. (VCSUVikings.com) – Valley City State University athletes won six conference titles and had 17 All-Conference performances Saturday as the Viking track and field team competed at the NSAA Indoor Championships in Brookings, S.D.
Valley City State’s men took third place overall, scoring 108 points. The Viking women placed fifth with 74 team points. Dickinson State won the women’s title, while Dakota State won the men’s team title.
Viking athletes won six different events at the conference championships, including four by the Viking men and two by VCSU’s women. There were 11 All-Conference performances by the men, and six by the women. The top three finishers in each individual event and the top two relay teams earned All-Conference. VCSU narrowly missed out on more All-Conference honors as six Vikings placed fourth in their individual events.
“I’m really proud of each one of our athletes on how hard they competed out there today,” said VCSU head coach Daniel Scheff. “They showed a lot of heart and pride and left every ounce of energy they had on the track and in the field. Every one of them was able to make a difference and meaningful impact within the meet for our family, and I’m so proud of each one of them.”
Menkeh Mendin took home the men’s 600 meter title in one of the most exciting races of the day. Mendin crossed the line in a personal-best time of 1:21.61, narrowly edging the second-place finisher by just .14 seconds. Valley City State finished first and second in the men’s mile as Dylan Olson took home the conference title in a time of 4:32.20, edging teammate Dennis Gonzalez by six seconds.
The Viking men also won the 4×800 relay, defeating Dakota State by 3.5 seconds. Valley City State’s team of Orin Rambow, Spencer Mattheis, Harley Knodel and Daniel Machado completed the race in time of 8:23.91 to win the conference title.
In the men’s weight throw, VCSU junior Garret Roemmich entered the championships seeded fourth but came away with the title after recording a personal-best throw by more than two feet. Roemmich won the title with his last throw in finals, unleashing a toss of 15.38 meters (50 feet, 5.5 inches) to pass three throwers from Dakota State University.
On the women’s side, Valley City State’s Allyssa Weitkum (pictured at right) and Grace Miller both won conference titles in the distance events. Weitkum took first in the mile run with a time of 5:34.96, edging Dickinson State’s Emily Kuehn by less than a second.
Miller beat the field in the women’s 5,000 meter run, recording a time of 19:09.58. Her time was almost a minute better than her season-best time, and was more than 13 seconds better than the second-place finisher on Saturday.
Other All-Conference performances by the Viking women included Weitkum placing second in the 800 meters, Selina Brown and Marilyn Quintero finishing second and third in the weight throw, and the 4×800 relay team of Tanya Campos, Lauren Roscoe, Kristina Fricke and Julianne Wilson placing second. The top three places in the women’s 4×800 were separated by just 1.34 seconds, and the Vikings edged Dickinson State by .18 seconds to earn second place and All-Conference.
On the men’s side, Mendin added a second-place finish in the 800 meters, giving him two All-Conference performances on the day. Dylan Olson placed second in the 3,000 meters for his second All-Conference honor. Dennis Gonzalez had three All-Conference showings as he placed second in the mile run and third in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs.
In the men’s field events, Casey Engelhard placed second in the triple jump and Zachary Co took third in the shot put to earn All-Conference.
Up next: Valley City State will shift its focus to the outdoor track and field season, which is scheduled to start in early March.
NSAA Indoor Championships
Women’s Team Results
1. Dickinson State, 184
2. Waldorf University, 105
3. Dakota State, 102
4. Viterbo University, 89
5. Valley City State, 74
Men’s Team Results
1. Dakota State, 194
2. Dickinson State, 144
3. Valley City State, 108
4. Waldorf University, 72
5. Viterbo University, 30
NSAA Indoor Championships
VCSU Track & Field All-Conference Performances
VCSU Women
800 Meters
2. Allyssa Weitkum, 2:28.68
One Mile Run
1. Allyssa Weitkum, 5:34.96
5000 Meter Run
1. Grace Miller, 19:09.58
4×800 Relay
2. Valley City State, 11:06.00 (Tanya Campos, Lauren Roscoe, Kristina Fricke, Julianne Wilson)
Weight Throw
2. Selina Brown, 14.94 meters
3. Marilyn Quintero, 14.91 meters
VCSU Men
600 Meters
1. Menkeh Mendin, 1:21.61
800 Meters
2. Menkeh Mendin, 2:01.35
One Mile Run
1. Dylan Olson, 4:32.20
2. Dennis Gonzalez, 4:38.80
3000 Meter Run
2. Dylan Olson, 9:06.20
3. Dennis Gonzalez, 9:08.75
5000 Meter Run
3. Dennis Gonzalez, 15:27.31
4×800 Relay
1. Valley City State, 8:23.91 (Orin Rambow, Spencer Mattheis, Harley Knodel, Daniel Machado)
Triple Jump
2. Casey Engelhard, 13.51 meters
Shot Put
3. Zachary Co, 13.86 meters
Weight Throw
1. Garret Roemmich, 15.38 meters
Valley City State’s men took third place overall, scoring 108 points. The Viking women placed fifth with 74 team points. Dickinson State won the women’s title, while Dakota State won the men’s team title.
Viking athletes won six different events at the conference championships, including four by the Viking men and two by VCSU’s women. There were 11 All-Conference performances by the men, and six by the women. The top three finishers in each individual event and the top two relay teams earned All-Conference. VCSU narrowly missed out on more All-Conference honors as six Vikings placed fourth in their individual events.
“I’m really proud of each one of our athletes on how hard they competed out there today,” said VCSU head coach Daniel Scheff. “They showed a lot of heart and pride and left every ounce of energy they had on the track and in the field. Every one of them was able to make a difference and meaningful impact within the meet for our family, and I’m so proud of each one of them.”
Menkeh Mendin took home the men’s 600 meter title in one of the most exciting races of the day. Mendin crossed the line in a personal-best time of 1:21.61, narrowly edging the second-place finisher by just .14 seconds. Valley City State finished first and second in the men’s mile as Dylan Olson took home the conference title in a time of 4:32.20, edging teammate Dennis Gonzalez by six seconds.
The Viking men also won the 4×800 relay, defeating Dakota State by 3.5 seconds. Valley City State’s team of Orin Rambow, Spencer Mattheis, Harley Knodel and Daniel Machado completed the race in time of 8:23.91 to win the conference title.
In the men’s weight throw, VCSU junior Garret Roemmich entered the championships seeded fourth but came away with the title after recording a personal-best throw by more than two feet. Roemmich won the title with his last throw in finals, unleashing a toss of 15.38 meters (50 feet, 5.5 inches) to pass three throwers from Dakota State University.
On the women’s side, Valley City State’s Allyssa Weitkum (pictured at right) and Grace Miller both won conference titles in the distance events. Weitkum took first in the mile run with a time of 5:34.96, edging Dickinson State’s Emily Kuehn by less than a second.
Miller beat the field in the women’s 5,000 meter run, recording a time of 19:09.58. Her time was almost a minute better than her season-best time, and was more than 13 seconds better than the second-place finisher on Saturday.
Other All-Conference performances by the Viking women included Weitkum placing second in the 800 meters, Selina Brown and Marilyn Quintero finishing second and third in the weight throw, and the 4×800 relay team of Tanya Campos, Lauren Roscoe, Kristina Fricke and Julianne Wilson placing second. The top three places in the women’s 4×800 were separated by just 1.34 seconds, and the Vikings edged Dickinson State by .18 seconds to earn second place and All-Conference.
On the men’s side, Mendin added a second-place finish in the 800 meters, giving him two All-Conference performances on the day. Dylan Olson placed second in the 3,000 meters for his second All-Conference honor. Dennis Gonzalez had three All-Conference showings as he placed second in the mile run and third in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs.
In the men’s field events, Casey Engelhard placed second in the triple jump and Zachary Co took third in the shot put to earn All-Conference.
Up next: Valley City State will shift its focus to the outdoor track and field season, which is scheduled to start in early March.
NSAA Indoor Championships
Women’s Team Results
1. Dickinson State, 184
2. Waldorf University, 105
3. Dakota State, 102
4. Viterbo University, 89
5. Valley City State, 74
Men’s Team Results
1. Dakota State, 194
2. Dickinson State, 144
3. Valley City State, 108
4. Waldorf University, 72
5. Viterbo University, 30
NSAA Indoor Championships
VCSU Track & Field All-Conference Performances
VCSU Women
800 Meters
2. Allyssa Weitkum, 2:28.68
One Mile Run
1. Allyssa Weitkum, 5:34.96
5000 Meter Run
1. Grace Miller, 19:09.58
4×800 Relay
2. Valley City State, 11:06.00 (Tanya Campos, Lauren Roscoe, Kristina Fricke, Julianne Wilson)
Weight Throw
2. Selina Brown, 14.94 meters
3. Marilyn Quintero, 14.91 meters
VCSU Men
600 Meters
1. Menkeh Mendin, 1:21.61
800 Meters
2. Menkeh Mendin, 2:01.35
One Mile Run
1. Dylan Olson, 4:32.20
2. Dennis Gonzalez, 4:38.80
3000 Meter Run
2. Dylan Olson, 9:06.20
3. Dennis Gonzalez, 9:08.75
5000 Meter Run
3. Dennis Gonzalez, 15:27.31
4×800 Relay
1. Valley City State, 8:23.91 (Orin Rambow, Spencer Mattheis, Harley Knodel, Daniel Machado)
Triple Jump
2. Casey Engelhard, 13.51 meters
Shot Put
3. Zachary Co, 13.86 meters
Weight Throw
1. Garret Roemmich, 15.38 meters