The North Dakota track and field teams are set to compete in two meets this week, as announced on May 5. The events mark the final competitions before the Summit League Championships.
This week, the Fighting Hawks will begin at the Hillsdale Last Chance meet in Michigan on Wednesday, with field events starting at 11 a.m. and running events at noon. On Friday, they will participate in the NDSU Tune-Up, where field competition begins at 11 a.m., followed by running events at 1:30 p.m.
Recent accolades include Jadyn Keeler being named Peak Performer of the Week twice in April. As of May 5, the women’s team was ranked No. 11 in the Midwest Region and No. 66 nationally by USTFCCCA, making them second among Summit League teams. The men’s team was ranked No. 22 regionally and No. 139 nationally.
Notably, North Dakota’s women’s squad for the 10,000-meter run—comprising Jadyn Keeler, Shewaye Johnson, Naja Weiler and Marie-Louise Jorgensen—is currently ranked fifth nationwide as an event squad. Seven women from North Dakota are positioned within the top-48 of their respective West Qualifying List events for NCAA prelims: Jadyn Keeler (10,000m – fourth; 5,000m – eleventh), Frida Giersdorff (3,000m steeplechase – thirteenth), Cailey Moton (hammer throw – thirty-eighth), Anya Williams (high jump – thirty-ninth), Shewaye Johnson (10,000m – thirty-ninth), Julia Matthews (hammer throw – forty-second) and Naja Weiler (10,000m – forty-sixth). On the men’s side Louis-Lys Fanucchi is seventeenth in the 1,500-meter run and nineteenth in steeplechase; Henrik Lindstrot is forty-fourth in steeplechase.
The Fighting Hawks currently have thirty-one entries that rank among the top five within their conference across various disciplines including sprints, distance runs and field events such as hammer throw and high jump.
Several athletes have set new school records this season across multiple disciplines including Olivia Correale in mile run; Louis-Lys Fanucchi in several middle-distance races; Frida Giersdorff in steeplechase; Jadyn Keeler dominating three distance categories; Anya Williams excelling both triple jump and high jump; Shane Zierden leading long jump efforts among others.
Looking ahead to post-season action next week from May 14 through May 16 at Fargo’s Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Championships remains a key focus for both squads.
