MARSHALL – Southwest Minnesota State University head cross country/track and field coach Dan Allen announced on Tuesday that 15 student-athletes-eight women and seven men-have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at SMSU.

The list includes seven high school and one transfer student-athlete for the women’s team, while the men’s team has six high school and one transfer student-athlete.

Joining the women’s cross country/track & field teams include Kaedyn Chamberlain (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Emily Gillingham (Minneota, Minn.), Rebecca Manteuffel (Cologne, Minn.), Avery Lester (Sioux City, Iowa), Ginny Pederson (Belview, Minn.), Abbagail Schotter (Colfax, Wis.), DaBrisha Stephens (Elkton, S.D.) and Meghan Sullivan (Mason City, Iowa).

Joining the men’s cross country/track & field programs include Victor Gag (Stillwater, Minn.), Joseph Bustrak (Moose Lake, Minn.), Chase Hamilton (West Libery, Iowa), Gage Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Logan Knutson (Heron Lake, Minn.), Isaiah Nelson (Hutchinson, Minn.) and Connor Wigand (Manitowoc, Wis.)

“We have some great student-athletes coming in, who can make an impact for us right away at the conference level,” Allen said. “In this class, we also have a lot of great students, and extremely hard workers, who’s time and effort has paid off at the high school level. I see their transition to the college level being seamless. I am extremely excited about this year’s signing class.”

2017 SMSU women’s track & field / cross

country signees

Kaedyn Chamberlain, Sioux Falls, S.D.

(Roosevelt HS)

2017 graduate of Sioux Falls Roosevelt HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … multi-year letter winner in both cross country and track & field … personal best 21:46 in the 5k … ran 16.58 in 100m hurdles … best time of 51.1 in 300m hurdles … honor student.

Emily Gillingham, Minneota, Minn.

(Minneota HS)

2017 graduate of Minneota HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … four-year letter winner in cross country and five-time letter winner in track … two-time all-conference honoree in cross country … state qualifier … team MVP as a senior in cross country … academic all-state … three-time all-conference in track … multiple state qualifier in track … daughter of Brad and Diane Gillingham.

Avery Lester, Sioux City, Iowa (Sioux City East HS)

2017 graduate of Sioux City East HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … four-time all-conference honoree … state qualifier in both cross country and track … conference champion in 3,000 meters … member of 4×800 relay team that finished fourth in 2017 state meet … daughter of Becky and Nick Gaul and Brian and Ginger Lester.

Rebecca Manteuffel, Cologne, Minn. (Mayer Lutheran HS)

2017 graduate of Mayer Lutheran HS … will compete in track & field at SMSU … all-conference honoree in the discus and shot put … finished fifth in the discus at the 2017 state meet … competed in multiple state meets in both the discus and shot put … personal best 126’3 in the discus … personal best 37’10 in the shot put … daughter of Todd and Lois Manteuffel.

Ginny Pederson, Belview, Minn. (Lakeview HS)

2016 graduate of Lakeview HS … will compete in track & field at SMSU … broke school record in the triple jump … earned team MVP in track & field … four-year letter winner … sub-section champ in the triple during senior season in 2016 … two-year letter winner in basketball … daughter of Scott and Darcee Pederson.

Abbagail Schotter, Colfax, Wis., (Colfax HS)

2017 graduate of Colfax HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … four-time all-conference honoree … three-time state participant in cross country … state participant in track … member of 4×800 relay team that set conference record … daughter of Jeff and Brittney McCulloch.

Dabrisha Stephens, Elkton, S.D. (Elkton HS)

2017 graduate of Elkton HS … will compete in track & field at SMSU … six-time letter winner in track & field … member of 4×4 relay team that set school record … state qualifier … also earned three letters in cross country … earned most valuable runner three times … academic all-state as a senior … also competed in basketball and volleyball … daughter of Shayne and Michelle Stephens.

Meghan Sullivan, Mason City, Iowa (Newman Catholic HS)

2017 graduate of Newman Catholic HS … compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … all-conference honoree in both cross country and track & field … academic all-state … state qualifier in both cross country and track & field … member of school record setting distance medley team … also played basketball … daughter of Kevin and Vonda Sullivan.

2017 SMSU men’s track & field / cross country signees

Joseph Bustrak, Moose Lake, Minn. (Moose Lake HS)

2017 graduate of Moos Lake HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … two-time all-conference honoree in cross country … team captain … five-year letter winner in cross country … four-year letter winner in track & field … conference champion in 1,600m and conference runner-up in 3,200m … son of Chris and Susan Bustrak.

Victor Gag, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater HS)

2017 graduate of Stillwater HS … will compete in track & field at SMSU … four-time letter winner competing in spring and high jump … also ran cross country and played basketball … son of Robert and Amy Gag.

Chase Hamilton, West Liberty, Iowa

(West Liberty HS)

2012 graduate of West Liberty HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … has competed at Iowa Western Community College and Eastern New Mexico University.

Gage Johnson, White Bear Lake, Minn.

(White Bear Lake HS)

2017 graduate of White Bear Lake HS … will compete in track & field at SMSU … team captain … ran 41.50 in the 300m hurdles … ran 15.0 in the 110m hurdles … finished with a personal best 40’11 in the triple jump … also played football … son of Neil and Holly Johnson.

Logan Knutson, Heron Lake, Minn. (Heron Lake-Okabena HS)

2017 graduate of Heron Lake-Okabena HS … will compete in both cross country and track & field at SMSU … four-year letter winner in cross country … four-time all-conference … conference champion in cross country … placed 41st in 2016 state meet … also all-conference in track & field … earned all-conference in basketball … also played baseball … son of Les and Cheryl Knutson.

Isaiah Nelson, Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson HS)

2017 graduate of Hutchinson HS … will compete in track & field and football at SMSU … multiple conference champ in the triple jump … earned third place in the triple jump at both the 2016 and 2017 state meet … son of Jim and Sara Nelson.

Connor Wigand, Manitowoc, Wis. (Lincoln HS)

2017 graduate of Lincoln HS … will compete in track & field and football at SMSU … three-year letter winner in track & field … team captain … all-conference in shot put … state qualifier in track & field … personal best 168’1 in the discus … recorded 49’11 in the shot put … son of Bruce and Debra Wigand.

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of SMSU Athletic

Communications