Bison Travel to NCAA Outdoor Championships With 13 Athletes in 13 Events
5/24/2004 5:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
THIS WEEK: North Dakota State University will compete in 13 events this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the NCAA Division II men's outdoor track & field championships in Walnut, CA. Cal Poly-Pomona is hosting the meet at Mount San Antonio College's Hilmer Lodge Stadium.
LAST YEAR: North Dakota State made an eighth-place finish at the NCAA outdoor championships last year at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Nate Schmidt won the decathlon and the Bison recorded five other placefinishes to score 29 points. It was the sixth time NDSU made a top-10 finish under head coach Don Larson.
SCHMIDT FAVORED FOR REPEAT: North Dakota State senior Nate Schmidt has the No. 1 seed in the decathlon and is favored to repeat his NCAA decathlon championship from a year ago. Only two athletes have won multiple national outdoor titles at North Dakota State. Curt Bacon won the steeplechase in 1979 and 1980, and Doug Hanson won the 10,000-meter run in 1988, 1989 and 1991.
BISON ENTRIES: North Dakota State University has 13 athletes entered in 13 events, including two men in the 200, 400 and 800-meter dashes, and the top two performers in the decathlon. Nate Schmidt and Andy Aakre are seeded 1-2 in the decathlon, Allen Burrell has the No. 2 seed in the 200 meters, and Chris Perleberg is second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The full entry list follows...
Nate Schmidt--Defending NCAA Division II champion and this year's top performer in the decathlon with a winning score of 7,483 at the North Central Conference meet...Became the first NCC athlete to win four decathlon titles...Voted by league coaches as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete in the NCC, an honor he also earned indoors this year and outdoors last year...Nominated to the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) for North Central Region Male Athlete of the Year, an award he won indoors this year...Scored a total of 42 team points at the NCC outdoor meet for the Bison, including a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles (:52.27), a runner-up finish in the 110-meter hurdles (:14.62) and a fifth-place finish in the high jump (6-7 1/4)...Initially became an automatic qualifier for the NCAA meet with a score of 7,399 in mid-March at the University of Miami (FL), where he placed first.
Decathlon Day 1--Thursday, 1 p.m. CT
(100, LJ, Shot, HJ, 400)
Decathlon Day 2--Friday, noon CT
(110H, Discus, PV, Javelin, 1500)
Decathlon seed--1st
(7483 points)
Andy Aakre--Will compete in the decathlon and the triple jump...Third-place finisher in the decathlon at last year's championships and the No. 2 performer in Division II this year...Scored 7,246 points for runner-up honors at the North Central Conference meet...Initially became an automatic qualifier for the NCAA meet with a score of 7,235 in mid-March at the University of Miami (FL), where he placed second...Qualified for the triple jump with a title-winning effort of 49 feet, 6 1/4 inches on his last attempt at the North Central Conference meet...It was the first time he went over 49 feet in his career...Also part of NDSU's qualifying relay teams.
Decathlon Day 1--Thursday, 1 p.m. CT
(100, LJ, Shot, HJ, 400)
Decathlon Day 2--Friday, noon CT
(110H, Discus, PV, Javelin, 1500)
Decathlon seed--2nd
(7246 points)
Triple jump finals--Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CT
Triple jump seed--9th (49-6 1/4)
Allen Burrell--Seeded 14th in the 100-meter dash (:10.49) and 2nd in the 200-meter dash (:20.69)...Ran both seed times at the North Central Conference meet...Both were winning efforts and the 200 time was a Schlanser Track record...His :10.44 in the 100 prelims also broke the track record...Broke the track record in the 200 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls with a time of :21.36 at the Dakota Relays, earning himself and head coach Don Larson souvenir watches for the feat...Also part of NDSU's qualifying 400-meter relay team.
100 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:35 p.m. CT
100 dash finals--Saturday, 7:25 p.m. CT
100 dash seed--14th (:10.49)
200 dash prelims--Friday, 6:40 p.m. CT
200 dash finals--Saturday, 8:10 p.m. CT
200 dash seed--2nd (:20.69)
Marques Johnson--Seeded 21st in the 200-meter dash (:21.17) and 4th in the 400-meter dash (:46.69)...His 200 seed time was good for third in the North Central Conference...His 400 seed time won the league crown and set new school and Schlanser Track records...The NCC outdoor meet was only the third time he ran the 400-meter dash all season...Also part NDSU's qualifying relay teams.
200 dash prelims--Friday, 6:40 p.m. CT
200 dash finals--Saturday, 8:10 p.m. CT
200 dash seed--21st (:21.17)
400 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:05 p.m. CT
400 dash finals--Saturday, 7:15 p.m. CT
400 dash seed--4th (:46.69)
Jared Essler--Seeded 21st in the 400-meter dash with a :47.50...That time was second at the North Central Conference meet and his first effort under 48 seconds all season...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team and is a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-District...Key member of the Bison relay teams all year at 400, 800 and 1,600 meters, including the national qualifiers.
400 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:05 p.m. CT
400 dash finals--Saturday, 7:15 p.m. CT
400 dash seed--21st (:47.50)
Andy Moen--Seeded 4th in the 800-meter run with a 1:50.59...That time won the North Central Conference outdoor title and set a Schlanser Track record...Only ran at three meets all season and his NCC title time was his first effort under 1:52...Sat out the 2003 season with an injury.
800 run prelims--Friday, 7:15 p.m. CT
800 run finals--Saturday, 7:36 p.m. CT
800 run seed--4th (1:50.59)
Terrance Wolbaum--Seeded 15th in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.59 from the St. Olaf College (MN) qualifying meet on May 15...Ran a 1:51.99 for fifth place in the North Central Conference one week earlier...Primarily ran the 400 meters all season, making only one 800 appearance before the NCC meet.
800 run prelims--Friday, 7:15 p.m. CT
800 run finals--Saturday, 7:36 p.m. CT
800 run seed--15th (1:51.59)
Chris Perleberg--Seeded 2nd in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:00.54 that won the North Central Conference title and set a Schlanser Track record...Seven-hundredths of a second shy of being the best time in Division II all season...NDSU's only event winner at the Division II Challenge with a time of 9:21.07 as the Bison edged South Dakota by 1 1/2 points for the team title...Made an eighth-place finish at Drake and a second-place finish at Kansas...Aiming to become NDSU's first All-American in the steeplechase since Duane Johnson placed 4th in 1989...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team.
3,000 steeplechase prelims--Thursday, 7:20 p.m. CT
3,000 steeplechase finals--Saturday, 6:15 p.m. CT
3,000 steeplechase seed--2nd (9:00.54)
Darik Hoff--Seeded 13th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:35.80 that was second at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls on April 30...Already visited Hilmer Lodge Stadium on his own this year to compete in the Mt. SAC Relays...Ran a 14:38.44 in the 5K there and also a career-best 3:53.41 in the 1,500-meter run.
5,000 run prelims--Friday, 8:20 p.m. CT
5,000 run finals--Saturday, 8:37 p.m. CT
5,000 run seed--13th (14:35.80)
Peter Stuart--Seeded 12th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of :52.50 that was runner-up at the North Central Conference meet...Has improved by more than four seconds from his first outing of the season.
400 hurdle prelims--Thursday, 8:35 p.m. CT
400 hurdle finals--Saturday, 7:56 p.m. CT
400 hurdle seed--12th (:52.50)
400-Meter Relay (4x100)--North Dakota State drew the 10th and final spot with a time of :40.64 ran by Marques Johnson, Allen Burrell, Jared Essler and Andy Aakre for the NCC championship...It was Aakre's first career appearance in the 4x100 relay...Reece Vega is a possible alternate...He helped the Herd to a :41.10 at St. Olaf College (MN) on May 15.
400 relay prelims--Thursday, 5:10 p.m. CT
400 relay finals--Saturday, 6:32 p.m. CT
400 relay seed--10th (:40.64)
1,600-Meter Relay (4x400)--North Dakota State is seeded 8th with a time of 3:11.64 that was second at the Drake Relays...Andy Aakre, Marques Johnson, Reece Vega and Jared Essler recorded that time...The same combo ran a 3:11.82 in the preliminary round at Drake.
1,600 relay prelims--Friday, 9:15 p.m. CT
1,600 relay finals--Saturday, 9:07 p.m. CT
1,600 relay seed--8th (3:11.64)
Marc Steckler--Seeded 6th in the pole vault with a height of 16 feet, 9 inches from the Ron Masanz Invite at Minnesota State-Moorhead...That was one of only two marks over 16 feet outdoors this season...NCAA indoor runner-up this year with a height of 16-4 3/4...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team and is a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-District.
Pole vault finals--Saturday, 6 p.m. CT
Pole vault seed--6th (16-9)
John Christensen--Seeded 13th in the hammer throw with a distance of 182 feet, 4 inches from the St. Olaf College (MN) qualifying meet May 15...That throw tied the NDSU school record set by John Gallagher in 1995...Had a mark of 177-8 at the NDSU Open and won his second straight North Central Conference title with a mark of 177-7 to lead a 1-2-3-4-5 Bison finish in that event.
Hammer throw finals--Thursday, 3 p.m. CT at Cal Poly-Pomona
Hammer throw seed--13th (182-4)
LAST YEAR: North Dakota State made an eighth-place finish at the NCAA outdoor championships last year at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Nate Schmidt won the decathlon and the Bison recorded five other placefinishes to score 29 points. It was the sixth time NDSU made a top-10 finish under head coach Don Larson.
SCHMIDT FAVORED FOR REPEAT: North Dakota State senior Nate Schmidt has the No. 1 seed in the decathlon and is favored to repeat his NCAA decathlon championship from a year ago. Only two athletes have won multiple national outdoor titles at North Dakota State. Curt Bacon won the steeplechase in 1979 and 1980, and Doug Hanson won the 10,000-meter run in 1988, 1989 and 1991.
BISON ENTRIES: North Dakota State University has 13 athletes entered in 13 events, including two men in the 200, 400 and 800-meter dashes, and the top two performers in the decathlon. Nate Schmidt and Andy Aakre are seeded 1-2 in the decathlon, Allen Burrell has the No. 2 seed in the 200 meters, and Chris Perleberg is second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The full entry list follows...
Nate Schmidt--Defending NCAA Division II champion and this year's top performer in the decathlon with a winning score of 7,483 at the North Central Conference meet...Became the first NCC athlete to win four decathlon titles...Voted by league coaches as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete in the NCC, an honor he also earned indoors this year and outdoors last year...Nominated to the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) for North Central Region Male Athlete of the Year, an award he won indoors this year...Scored a total of 42 team points at the NCC outdoor meet for the Bison, including a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles (:52.27), a runner-up finish in the 110-meter hurdles (:14.62) and a fifth-place finish in the high jump (6-7 1/4)...Initially became an automatic qualifier for the NCAA meet with a score of 7,399 in mid-March at the University of Miami (FL), where he placed first.
Decathlon Day 1--Thursday, 1 p.m. CT
(100, LJ, Shot, HJ, 400)
Decathlon Day 2--Friday, noon CT
(110H, Discus, PV, Javelin, 1500)
Decathlon seed--1st
(7483 points)
Andy Aakre--Will compete in the decathlon and the triple jump...Third-place finisher in the decathlon at last year's championships and the No. 2 performer in Division II this year...Scored 7,246 points for runner-up honors at the North Central Conference meet...Initially became an automatic qualifier for the NCAA meet with a score of 7,235 in mid-March at the University of Miami (FL), where he placed second...Qualified for the triple jump with a title-winning effort of 49 feet, 6 1/4 inches on his last attempt at the North Central Conference meet...It was the first time he went over 49 feet in his career...Also part of NDSU's qualifying relay teams.
Decathlon Day 1--Thursday, 1 p.m. CT
(100, LJ, Shot, HJ, 400)
Decathlon Day 2--Friday, noon CT
(110H, Discus, PV, Javelin, 1500)
Decathlon seed--2nd
(7246 points)
Triple jump finals--Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CT
Triple jump seed--9th (49-6 1/4)
Allen Burrell--Seeded 14th in the 100-meter dash (:10.49) and 2nd in the 200-meter dash (:20.69)...Ran both seed times at the North Central Conference meet...Both were winning efforts and the 200 time was a Schlanser Track record...His :10.44 in the 100 prelims also broke the track record...Broke the track record in the 200 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls with a time of :21.36 at the Dakota Relays, earning himself and head coach Don Larson souvenir watches for the feat...Also part of NDSU's qualifying 400-meter relay team.
100 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:35 p.m. CT
100 dash finals--Saturday, 7:25 p.m. CT
100 dash seed--14th (:10.49)
200 dash prelims--Friday, 6:40 p.m. CT
200 dash finals--Saturday, 8:10 p.m. CT
200 dash seed--2nd (:20.69)
Marques Johnson--Seeded 21st in the 200-meter dash (:21.17) and 4th in the 400-meter dash (:46.69)...His 200 seed time was good for third in the North Central Conference...His 400 seed time won the league crown and set new school and Schlanser Track records...The NCC outdoor meet was only the third time he ran the 400-meter dash all season...Also part NDSU's qualifying relay teams.
200 dash prelims--Friday, 6:40 p.m. CT
200 dash finals--Saturday, 8:10 p.m. CT
200 dash seed--21st (:21.17)
400 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:05 p.m. CT
400 dash finals--Saturday, 7:15 p.m. CT
400 dash seed--4th (:46.69)
Jared Essler--Seeded 21st in the 400-meter dash with a :47.50...That time was second at the North Central Conference meet and his first effort under 48 seconds all season...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team and is a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-District...Key member of the Bison relay teams all year at 400, 800 and 1,600 meters, including the national qualifiers.
400 dash prelims--Thursday, 6:05 p.m. CT
400 dash finals--Saturday, 7:15 p.m. CT
400 dash seed--21st (:47.50)
Andy Moen--Seeded 4th in the 800-meter run with a 1:50.59...That time won the North Central Conference outdoor title and set a Schlanser Track record...Only ran at three meets all season and his NCC title time was his first effort under 1:52...Sat out the 2003 season with an injury.
800 run prelims--Friday, 7:15 p.m. CT
800 run finals--Saturday, 7:36 p.m. CT
800 run seed--4th (1:50.59)
Terrance Wolbaum--Seeded 15th in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.59 from the St. Olaf College (MN) qualifying meet on May 15...Ran a 1:51.99 for fifth place in the North Central Conference one week earlier...Primarily ran the 400 meters all season, making only one 800 appearance before the NCC meet.
800 run prelims--Friday, 7:15 p.m. CT
800 run finals--Saturday, 7:36 p.m. CT
800 run seed--15th (1:51.59)
Chris Perleberg--Seeded 2nd in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:00.54 that won the North Central Conference title and set a Schlanser Track record...Seven-hundredths of a second shy of being the best time in Division II all season...NDSU's only event winner at the Division II Challenge with a time of 9:21.07 as the Bison edged South Dakota by 1 1/2 points for the team title...Made an eighth-place finish at Drake and a second-place finish at Kansas...Aiming to become NDSU's first All-American in the steeplechase since Duane Johnson placed 4th in 1989...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team.
3,000 steeplechase prelims--Thursday, 7:20 p.m. CT
3,000 steeplechase finals--Saturday, 6:15 p.m. CT
3,000 steeplechase seed--2nd (9:00.54)
Darik Hoff--Seeded 13th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:35.80 that was second at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls on April 30...Already visited Hilmer Lodge Stadium on his own this year to compete in the Mt. SAC Relays...Ran a 14:38.44 in the 5K there and also a career-best 3:53.41 in the 1,500-meter run.
5,000 run prelims--Friday, 8:20 p.m. CT
5,000 run finals--Saturday, 8:37 p.m. CT
5,000 run seed--13th (14:35.80)
Peter Stuart--Seeded 12th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of :52.50 that was runner-up at the North Central Conference meet...Has improved by more than four seconds from his first outing of the season.
400 hurdle prelims--Thursday, 8:35 p.m. CT
400 hurdle finals--Saturday, 7:56 p.m. CT
400 hurdle seed--12th (:52.50)
400-Meter Relay (4x100)--North Dakota State drew the 10th and final spot with a time of :40.64 ran by Marques Johnson, Allen Burrell, Jared Essler and Andy Aakre for the NCC championship...It was Aakre's first career appearance in the 4x100 relay...Reece Vega is a possible alternate...He helped the Herd to a :41.10 at St. Olaf College (MN) on May 15.
400 relay prelims--Thursday, 5:10 p.m. CT
400 relay finals--Saturday, 6:32 p.m. CT
400 relay seed--10th (:40.64)
1,600-Meter Relay (4x400)--North Dakota State is seeded 8th with a time of 3:11.64 that was second at the Drake Relays...Andy Aakre, Marques Johnson, Reece Vega and Jared Essler recorded that time...The same combo ran a 3:11.82 in the preliminary round at Drake.
1,600 relay prelims--Friday, 9:15 p.m. CT
1,600 relay finals--Saturday, 9:07 p.m. CT
1,600 relay seed--8th (3:11.64)
Marc Steckler--Seeded 6th in the pole vault with a height of 16 feet, 9 inches from the Ron Masanz Invite at Minnesota State-Moorhead...That was one of only two marks over 16 feet outdoors this season...NCAA indoor runner-up this year with a height of 16-4 3/4...Selected to the Academic All-NCC men's track & field/cross country team and is a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-District.
Pole vault finals--Saturday, 6 p.m. CT
Pole vault seed--6th (16-9)
John Christensen--Seeded 13th in the hammer throw with a distance of 182 feet, 4 inches from the St. Olaf College (MN) qualifying meet May 15...That throw tied the NDSU school record set by John Gallagher in 1995...Had a mark of 177-8 at the NDSU Open and won his second straight North Central Conference title with a mark of 177-7 to lead a 1-2-3-4-5 Bison finish in that event.
Hammer throw finals--Thursday, 3 p.m. CT at Cal Poly-Pomona
Hammer throw seed--13th (182-4)
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