Independent file photo SMSU’s Ginny Pederson competes in the long jump during their home invite on May 1. The Mustangs will participate in the NSIC Outdoor Championships this weekend in Duluth.

MARSHALL – The Southwest Minnesota State University women’s and men’s track & field teams are set for a big weekend as they compete at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships on Friday and Saturday in Duluth.

Both the 11-team men’s and 15-team women’s championship will be held at Malosky Stadium and will be hosted by the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Action begins on Friday at 10 a.m. with both field and running events while field events resume on Saturday at 11 a.m., and running events at 1 p.m.

All-conference performers consist of the top three place winners in each event and the members of the top two relay teams from the meet.

SMSU head coach Dan Allen is expected to have up to 20 individuals compete for the men’s team, while 16 are expected to compete for the women’s team.

SMSU’s men’s 4×100 relay team of Kyle Felling, Gabe Galamue, Hever Valenzuela and Quadri Busari currently has the second fastest time in the NSIC this season at 41.6 set last weekend at the Dakota Relays. The 4×400 relay team enters the championships with the third fastest time at 3:19.2 also set at the Dakota Relays.

As an individual, Busari ranks eighth in the NSIC in the 100 meters with a time of 10.8, Isaiah Nelson is 10th in the triple jump at 13.71m, Connor Wigand is fifth in the shot put at 15.49m and seventh in the discus at 49.32m.

On the women’s side, Ashlyn Jones ranks tied for first among NSIC competitors in the high jump with a mark of 1.64m, while Rebecca Manteuffel is second in the discus at 51.12m, which is also an NCAA provisional mark. Norah King also ranks among the top 10 in the discus ranking 10th at 42.34m.

Last season, the SMSU men’s team recorded a 10th place finish with 13 points while the women’s team finished in 14th place with seven points.

SMSU will be competing in its sixth NSIC outdoor championship since reinstating the program in 2013. SMSU’s best finish in the men’s championship was fifth place in 2017, while the women’s best finish was 10th in 2016.

SMSU’s Men’s All-NSIC Outdoor Honorees (NCAA level)

2014 – Alejandro Sanchez, 2nd place, 800 meters

2015 – Alejandro Sanchez, 1st place, 800 meters

2015 – Will Hanson, 3rd place, javelin

2016 – Alex Weis, 1st place, shot put

2017- Alex Weis, 1st place, shot put

2017 – Alex Weis, 2nd place, hammer

2017 – Alex Weis, 3rd place, discus

2017 – 4×100 relay (Dallin Finley, Ben Ryan, Quadri Busari, Gabe Galamue), 2nd place

SMSU’s Women’s All-NSIC Outdoor

Honorees (NCAA level)

2016 – Hannah Palmeter, 2nd place, 1,500 meters

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