JACKS HOST SDSU CLASSIC FRIDAY

Friday, September 8

Brookings, SD

6:40 p.m.

South Dakota State University

SDSU Classic

9/7/2023 2:30:00 PM | Cross Country, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

BROOKINGS, SD – The South Dakota State cross country teams will get a chance to face some conference competition while hosting the first home meet of the season with Friday's SDSU Classic at the Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings.

Due to the predicted warm weather, the start times have been slightly adjusted to allow for cooler temperatures. The women's 5k will now begin at 6:40 p.m. while the Jay Dirksen 8k will start at 7:20 p.m. Awards will follow at the conclusion of the final race at approximately 8 p.m.

SDSU will get another chance to face some regional and conference competition with foes such as Augustana, South Dakota, North Dakota and North Dakota State.

Due to construction on 22^nd Avenue, it is recommended that fans traveling on Interstate 29 use the new Exit 130 20^th St. interchange to arrive at the Edgebrook Golf Course from the south. Any in-town traffic is recommended to follow the posted detour signage.

LAST TIME OUT:
MEN
Freshman Carson Noecker claimed the first place crown in the men's four mile as every SDSU competitor clocked a personal best enroute to a first place finish in the team standings at the Augustana Twilight in Yankton Trail Park on Friday night.

Noecker's successful Jackrabbit debut happened in a quick time of 18:55.99, where he finished a full 10 seconds in front of the second place runner. Josh Becker was close behind in fourth place with a personal best 19:14.90 as Will Lohr clocked a PR of 19:51.52 for 14^th. Jackson Dutcher took 24^th in his first race for SDSU with a personal best 20:13.56 and Cody Larson rounded out the scoring in 30^th with a PR of 20:19.01.

Two additional Jackrabbits competed in their first ever collegiate race for SDSU—Christian Noble (38^th, 20:24.66) and Luke Johnson (73^rd, 21:00.66).

South Dakota State claimed the team title out of 32 squads with 62 total points, edging St. Thomas's 66 points in second place. Nebraska finished third with 83 points, hosts Augustana took fourth with 94 points and Minnesota State scored 194 points for fifth.

WOMEN
Five Jackrabbits placed in the top 20, led by senior Leah (Hansen) Hisken, to take second place overall in the team standings at the season opening Augustana Twilight in Yankton Trail Park on Friday night.

Hisken crossed the finish line first for SDSU and finished third overall with a 5k time of 17:32.94, just .88 seconds behind a runner from Sioux Falls in a battle for second place. Mya Kizer was next in 13^th place with a time of 18:17.33 as Caitlin Bright took 15^th in a personal best 18:25.66.

Claire Beckman was right behind, clocking a PR of 18:25.74 for 16^th place as Jessica Lutmer rounded out the scoring in 19^th place with a personal best 18:31.37 in her SDSU debut.

An additional 12 Jackrabbit women competed in the field of 357 runners, including Grace Waage in 29^th with a personal best time of 18:43.16. Nina Dawson was next with a PR of 18:50.35 for 37^th as Nicole Greyer came 45^th in 19:03.08. Emma Gonzalez and Sierra Watterud finished back-to-back in 71^st (19:25.47) and 72^nd (19:26.33) place, respectively.

Brianne Travis (107^th, 20:04.28) and Jenna Soine (113^th, 20:10.64) each kicked off their Jackrabbit careers, Harley Fischer clocked a 20:14.81 for 122^nd and Kadense Dooley finished 129^th in 20:23.81. Hannah Neusch (150^th, 20:49.90), Hannah Spoden (229^th, 22:02.07) and Selma Dingmann (259^th, 22:31.90) rounded out the SDSU runners.

South Dakota State finished second in the team standings out of 29 squads with 66 total points as Nebraska took first with 43 points. Augustana was third with 105 points, St. Thomas came fourth with 141 points and Omaha scored 154 points for fifth.

REGIONAL RANKINGS: The preseason Division I cross country rankings decided by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association were announced Aug. 29^th with the Jackrabbit men sitting 15^th in the Midwest region and the women placed 10^th.

SDSU MEN PICKED FIRST, WOMEN SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL: The SDSU men were chosen to continue their streak of Summit League championship titles while the women were picked second following a 2022 season that saw a record seventh-straight title for the men and second place finish for the women.

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
1. South Dakota State (4) - 34
2. North Dakota State (3) - 33
3. North Dakota - 25
T-4. South Dakota - 19
T-4. St. Thomas - 19
6. Oral Roberts - 9
7. Kansas City - 8

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
1. North Dakota State (3) - 45
2. South Dakota State (4) - 42
3. North Dakota (1) - 38
4. South Dakota - 29
5. St. Thomas - 22
6. Omaha - 21
7. Kansas City - 17
8. Oral Roberts - 10

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Four Jackrabbits –two men and two women—were recognized as Summit League Preseason Athletes to Watch.

Josh Becker, South Dakota State
Jr. | Osseo, Wis.

Captured sixth at the 2022 League Championships, good for first team All-League honors
Clocked an 8K time of 24:36.6 at the Weiss-Crockett Invitational
Finished third at the Augustana Twilight with a four-mile time of 19:19.8

Daniel Burkhalter, South Dakota State
Sr. | Prairie City, S.D.

Took second place at the Augustana Twilight with a four-mile time of 19:18.4
Clocked a season-best 8K time of 24:27.5 at the Weiss-Crockett Invitational
Earned first team All-League honors at the 2022 League Championships with a fifth-place finish
Placed 27th at the NCAA Midwest Regional running the 10K in a personal-best time of 30:09.7

Leah (Hansen) Hisken, South Dakota State
Sr. | Willmar, Minn.

First athlete to take home three consecutive Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors (2020, 2021, 2022)
Earned her third consecutive League individual title and Championship MVP honor while helping the Jacks to a runner-up finish in the team standings at the 2022 League Championships
Placed 19^th at the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 20:40.0
Top-20 finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional helped pace the Jacks to 10th place in the team standings, the highest finish for an SDSU team in the Division I era

Mya Kizer, South Dakota State
Jr. | Hammond, Wis.

Earned second team All-League honors with an 11th-place finish at the 2022 League Championships
Had a season-best 6K race at the Bradley Pink Classic with a time of 21:21.4
Finished second at the SDSU Classic in a time of 18:22.7 and ran a season-best 5K at the Augustana Twilight (18:15.1)

UP NEXT: SDSU will have an off-week before hitting the road for the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 22.

-GoJacks.com-