SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls Track and Field Team is gearing up for the 2021-2022 Indoor Track and Field season that kicks off this Friday (Dec. 3) and Saturday (Dec. 4) at the SDSU Holiday Invitational and Multi in Brookings, S.D. 

The meet, hosted by SDSU at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, will begin with events at noon on Friday and 11 am on Saturday. 

USF Men's Preview --
The USF Men's Track and Field Team will look to improve on its 12^th place finish of a year ago with a group of talented returners and newcomers. Directed by USF Director of Track and Field Doug Petersen, the Cougars has a long history of success with a sixth place indoor finish in 2019-20, third in in 2018-19, second in 2016-17, sixth in 2015-16; third in 2013-14 and fourth in 2012-13.

This year, USF will lean on experience in the distance and field events. Junior David Ecker was named USF's Track Athlete to Watch as the school record holder in the 3K steeplechase (3^rd outdoor, 2021) and has had 15 top-five finishes in track and field/cross country. A CoSIDA Academic All-American and eight-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, he was All-NSIC in cross country with both Aaron Voigt and Jakob Hanna, who comprise a talented corps in the middle distance. Both Voigt and Hanna were named All-NSIC during the NSIC Cross Country Championships. Voigt, who had a team-best 28th finish at the NSIC championships after placing 12th at the NSIC Championships in cross country, has 12 top-five indoor and outdoor placings. Hanna, who was 20th at the NSIC XC Cross Country Championships and 52nd at regionals, will compete at USF in track and field for the first time this weekend. He is a transfer from NDSU, who at the 2021 Indoor Summit League Championships, finished second in the 3,000-meters at 8:18 and third in the mile at 4:09 while recording a seventh place finish in the 5,000 meters at 14:48.

Sophomore Tyler Hiatt is USF's Field Athlete to Watch after transferring to USF from NDSU where he had four top-eight finishes indoors a year ago. He is a multiple state throws champion in South Dakota as a high school standout. Ben Mandel earned points in the hurdles a year ago and along with Isaiah Dancy, Steve Miner and others should make hurdles/field events a solid group of watch this year.  
 
USF Women's Preview -
The USF Women's Track and Field Team will strive to better its 12^th place finish of a year ago when the Cougars scored 20 points and had an NSIC title performance from Emma Hertz in the shot put. USF, which will be led by NSIC Field Athlete to Watch in Emma Hertz and middle distance and Track Athlete to Watch Morgan Gehl, has a strong record of standout efforts at the NSIC Meet.

In 2019-20, USF was 8^th; sixth in 2018-19; sixth in 2017-18; 10^th in 2016-17; eighth in 2015-16; eighth in 2014-15; and eighth in 2013-14. Hertz, a four-time all-American in the throws, is one of the team's leaders with 35 top-10 finishes and 19 titles with 10 second place finishes in either the shot put or discus and hammer throw indoor and outdoor during a stellar career.

Hertz will lead the way in the throws and ranks as one of the best ever at USF. A four-time All-American, including two at the 2021 Indoor Championships, she was seventh in the weight throw and eight in the shot put at the DII indoor championships a year ago. Hertz recorded 35 top-10 finishes and 19 titles with 10 second place finishes in either the shot put or discus and hammer throw indoor and outdoor. In addition, Hertz won the NSIC indoor title in the shot put in 2021 with seven top-five finishes and five-top three results at indoor/outdoor NSIC Championships. In the 2020-21 indoor competition, she had 13 top-eight finishes, six titles and 10- top three finishes in the throws. 

Gehl, who was All-NSIC in Cross Country after placing 22nd at the NSIC Championships this past fall, will lead a middle-distance group that includes Khot Juac, Karlee Simmons, Tianna Voight and Annika Aho. Gehl will compete in track and field for the first time at USF after a stellar career at Fulda, Minn., High School where she was a multi-place finisher. Juac, Simmons, Voigt and Aho also come back after strong seasons in cross country and during the 2021 outdoor track and field championships. Aho had a top three time all-time in the 800-meters last spring with her clocking of 2:16.37 which was 12th at the league championships. Voigt and Aho also were part of the distance medley relay that placed at the league meet.  Juac also had a top-10 time with her 4:40.62 finish in the 1,500 in placing 12th at the NSIC Championships. 

USF will also have strength in the field events, led by sophomore Natalie Meyers, who nearly placed in the long jump a year ago. Meyers has 16 top-five finishes in the sprints and jumps and was part of the 4x100 meter relay that was fourth at the NSIC Outdoors in 2021.  In the sprints, KaNya Henderson, who was all-American two years ago, will lead the away in the 60 and 200 meters. Emily Swanson will lead multi-event performers and strength in the field events while USF has several solid performers in the throws aside from Hertz. 

Also at the outdoor meet last spring, Meyers had a personal best and tied the eighth best mark in school indoor history by placing ninth with a long jump of 17-08. At the same outdoor championships, Henderson placed 11^th in the 60-meters with a season-best clocking of 7.72 and the mark ranks second best indoors ever at USF. She was also on the 4x100 meter relay.

After the first meet in Brookings, the Cougars head to Mankato, Minn. to compete in the Minnesota State Invitational on Friday, January 14.