Payton Otterdahl began serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the throwing events at NDSU in 2019, following a decorated NCAA career that saw him claim two national titles and stake his claim as arguably the greatest thrower in collegiate indoor history.
While Otterdahl still competes for Nike regularly on the professional track & field circuit, he trains and practices at NDSU with the Bison throwers.
Otterdahl swept the NCAA titles in the indoor throwing events in 2019, becoming only the second man to ever win the shot put and weight throw at the NCAA Championships. He was named the USTFCCCA National Men's Field Athlete of the Year for the 2019 indoor season after setting the all-time collegiate record in the shot with a throw of 71-06.75 (21.81m) at the Summit League Championships. Otterdahl's NCAA title-winning weight throw mark of 79-01.25 (24.11m) ranks fifth in collegiate history.
In 2019 alone, Otterdahl posted four of the top six marks in collegiate history in the indoor shot put. He is the only man to rank in the all-time collegiate Top 5 in both indoor throwing events.
In the 2019 outdoor season, Otterdahl claimed NCAA runner-up honors in the discus and finished fourth in the shot put at the NCAA Championships.
Otterdahl became the first Bison men's track & field athlete to capture four first-team All-America honors in a career, and the only NDSU athlete ever to earn four All-America honors in the same year. He was named a semifinalist for The Bowerman -- the highest honor in collegiate track & field -- in 2019.
Otterdahl's Personal-Bests at NDSU
Indoor Shot Put: 71-06.75 (21.81m) NCAA Record
Weight Throw: 79-01.25 (24.11) School Record
Outdoor Shot Put: 70-01.50 (21.37m) School Record
Discus: 206-6 (62.94m) School Record
Hammer Throw: 220-1 (67.08m) No. 2 in School History
