South Dakota State University Athletics
South Dakota State University
NCAA Midwest Regional Championships
Jacks' XC to Compete in NCAA Midwest Regionals
11/9/2017 9:52:00 AM | Cross Country, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
| Â MEET 8: South Dakota State (Men & Women) at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships |
|  When |  Friday, Nov. 10 | Women - 10:45 a.m. | Men 11:45 a.m. |
|  Where |  Men's 10k Course Map | Women's 6k Course Map I Parking Map |  Google Maps I Ames, Iowa |
| Â Teams Competing | Â Men's Teams: 30 | Women's Teams: 35 |Â See Full List |
|  Live Results |  Prime Time Timing |
|  Meet Notes |  South Dakota State Notes | Media Guide | Iowa State Meet Page |
|  Social Media |  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoJacks |
The South Dakota State men's and women's cross country teams are traveling to Ames, Iowa on Friday, November 10, to compete in their 10th NCAA Midwest Regional race. The women's team will start their 6k race at 10:45 a.m. while the men's team will run their 10k at 11:45 a.m.
The Men's Team
The team has an 11-5 record against other Midwest Regional teams during the 2017 campaign. Highlighting the wins, the Jacks have beaten #13 North Dakota State in the Summit League Championships and beat then-ranked #10 Kansas and #15 Saint Louis in the Pre-National Invitational (SDSU ranked #11 then).Â
In the last two years, the Jacks have finished a team-best sixth place. Top returners are junior Kyle Burdick, who ranks seventh among all-time Jackrabbit performances at regionals (31:06.0, 2016), and sophomore Chase Cayo, who ranks ninth on the all-time list (31:21.9, 2016)
Since 2013, the Jackrabbit Men have had four NCAA Division I All-Americans. Of the 30-plus men's teams in the region, that ranks second to Oklahoma State who has five (Tulsa also has four All-Americans). The rest of the region has two All-American honorees combined. Four All-American honors ranks in the top 20 nationally for most during that span.
The Women's Team
The Women's team placed a team-best 13th last year in the regionals. Juniors Rachel King and Emily Berzonsky rank in the all-time top 10 Jackrabbit performances at the Midwest Regionals. King ranks second with her personal-best 6k time of 20:49.2. She has been within a seven seconds of beating that time in her last two outings. Berzonsky ranks sixth on the all-time list with a personal-best 6k time of 21:45.0. She was within 17 seconds of beating that time in the Summit League Championships on Oct. 28.
Looking Back a Year Ago
The men's team got off to a bit of a slow start during the 2016 race. At the midway point, the Jacks were in 15th place. After making up a little bit of ground on the rest of the field, SDSU was in ninth with 1,000m to go. They ended up passing Minnesota, Kansas and Oklahoma to secure sixth place - tying their best-ever finish at the Midwest Regional. The Jacks finished with 154 points.
2016 graduate Joel Reichow (third, 30:21.8) led the way, finishing third overall and earning a spot into the NCAA Championship race. Junior Ayub Kassim finished in 30:55.6 for 26th, narrowly missing all-region honors. Junior Kyle Burdick (31:06.0) finished 38th, and sophomore Chase Cayo (52nd, 31:21.9) rounded out the scoring for the Jacks.
On the women's side, SDSU finished with 396 points for 13th place. Junior Emily Donnay led the way for the Jackrabbits, finishing 23rd in a 6K personal-best 20:48.0. Junior Rachel King wasn't far behind, finishing 26th with a personal-best time of 20:49.2.Â
Junior Emily Berzonsky was the third Jackrabbit finisher, posting a time of 21:45.8 for 86th place. Senior Halie Mechels (112th, 22:05.1) and sophomore Kendra Dykstra (155th, 22:36.7) finished off the scoring for the Jackrabbits.
Also competing for the Jacks were Jamie Schweiss (185th, 23:03.0) and Emma Nelson (223rd, 24:07.8).
Last Time Out
The men's team brought home their sixth championship in the short 11 years they have been a member of the Summit League. The Jacks won it with their second-lowest score in the championship race with 31 points, placing 1-2-4-11-13-17-22 in the top 25 (scored 25 points in the 2016 championship).
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The Jacks have won all of their championships in back-to-back seasons (2009-10, 2012-13, 2016-17) and is one of two active Summit League Schools that have won Summit League titles (Western Illinois won a title in 1991). The men's team has finished in the top two every year since 2012, claiming four titles.
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Three Jackrabbits earned first-team All-Summit League performances, which ties for second-most in school history with the 2012 and 2015 teams (2016 had four first-team All-Summit League performers). As a total, SDSU had five All-Summit League runners, most of any team this year, and tying the 2013 team with the second-most honors (2016 had six). Â
Not only did the men's team have the most All-Summit League performers, but they swept the Championship MVP, Newcomer of the Championship, and Coach of the Year Award. It is the second time SDSU has swept the awards (first time, 2013) and the only other school to do it was IUPUI in 2014.
The women's team finished in the top three of The Summit League Championships yet again with six top 25 runners. That is now six years in a row where they have finished in the top three.
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The Jacks finished with three All-Summit League performers, tying with North Dakota State for the second-most honors this year. The Jacks have now claimed two straight Summit League individual titles and championship MVP's (Emily Donnay in 2016, Rachel King in 2017).
SDSU Back Ranked in Midwest RegionÂ
When the USTFCCCA NCAA Regional poll came out on October 30, the Jackrabbit men's team saw themselves on the list for the seventh time. The men moved up one spot, ranking 10th and the top Summit League team on the list (NDSU ranks 13th for the first time this year). The women's team has been ranked 15th twice through the seven rankings. They are the only Summit League school besides South Dakota who have been ranked.
Cayo Ranked 170 in the Wood Report
October 24 brought new rankings from CITIUS MAG. Issac Wood ranked the top 248 individual cross country runners across Division I and sophomore Chase Cayo appeared at 170th. He competed in his fourth race of the season at the Pre-National Invitational, finishing 67th (24:13.6). He has earned two Summit League Athlete of the Week honors and has the league's fastest 8k-time of the season.
On September 12, Issac Wood ranked Burdick 142nd among in his report. He raced his fourth race of the season at the Pre-Nationals on Oct. 14 where he captured 81st place and a career-best 8k time (24:20.8). He has earned his two Summit League Athlete of the Week honors during the 2017 campaign.Â
Coming Up Next: NCAA Championships
On November 18, the Jackrabbits hope to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky. The team has competed at the course once before, at the the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 14.
The men's team has not had a NCAA Division I team qualify for the the race since 1954. They also haven't had a team in the NCAA Championships since 2003 (Division II). In 2005, the team won the NCAA Division I Independent title with Brad Lowery winning the individual title.Â
However, South Dakota State has sent some individuals to the NCAA Division I Championship since becoming Division I in 2007. The most recent runners are Trent Lusignan in 2013 and 2015 and Joel Reichow in 2015 and 2016, both earing All-American status.
The women's team has yet to make the NCAA Championships since becoming Division I in 2007. Juniors Emily Donnay and Rachel King have been the closest to make the championship individually, finishing 23rd and 26th last year.
Social Media
For more information on the South Dakota State cross country teams, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksTFXC) and Instagram (@GoJacksTFXC) like us Facebook (/GoJacksTFXC).
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Players Mentioned
