Rodriguez, Blackford Named Athletes to Watch in Summit League Preseason Poll
Mar 17, 2022 | Track & Field
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Omaha track & field team was selected eighth in the Summit League's Outdoor Track and Field preseason poll, the league announced Thursday morning. Sheridan Rodriguez and Paige Blackford were named to the Preseason Athletes to Watch.
The South Dakota women were selected to claim the league title in The Summit League's Outdoor Track and Field preseason poll. South Dakota was picked to finish atop the league with 47 total points and six of the eight first-place votes. Reigning champion North Dakota State took the remaining two first-place votes and earned the runner-up spot with 44 total points. South Dakota State (38), Oral Roberts (29), North Dakota (26), St. Thomas (19), Western Illinois (12) and Omaha (9) completed the women's poll.
Omaha finished seventh three weeks ago at the Indoor Summit League Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Team accomplishments were led by Rodriguez and Blackford. In the high jump, Rodriguez's jump of 5'5" earned her fourth place. In the 800m, Blackford dropped 2.5 seconds off her 800 meters lifetime best, running a 2:12.22 in the prelims. That time qualified her to the finals and ranks fifth in UNO history. On Saturday, she came back to finish eighth in the finals. Blackford's time of 2:12.22 ranks her first in the 800m for all of Nebraska's collegiate programs.
The Mavericks return to action on Saturday, April 2 at the USD Early Bird in Vermillion, South Dakota.
2022 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S OUTDOOR PRESEASON POLL
1. South Dakota - 47 (6)
2. North Dakota State - 44 (2)
3. South Dakota State - 38
4. Oral Roberts - 29
5. North Dakota - 26
6. St. Thomas - 19
7. Western Illinois - 12
8. Omaha - 9
OUTDOOR PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
All notes/bullet points meant to reflect outdoor track & field accomplishments only
Danii Anglin, South Dakota Fr | Jumps | Spring Mount, Jamaica
- Won the high jump at the 2022 Summit League Indoor Championships clearing a personal-best height 5-10.75 (1.80m)
- Won six high jump titles during her freshman indoor campaign
Moe Bridgen, South Dakota Fr | Hurdles | May Pen, Jamaica
- Was a member of the 4x400m relay team that took first at the 2022 Summit League Indoor Championships with a time of 3:42.90
- Finished sixth in the 200m at the league indoor championships with a time of 25.02
- Took ninth in the 60m hurdles at the league indoor championships with a time of 8.80
Kari Wolfe, North Dakota State Sr | Javelin | Harvey, N.D.
- First Team All-American in the javelin, placing fifth at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships
- Threw a personal-best mark of 180-6 (55.02m) in the javelin at the national meet
- 2021 Summit League champion in the javelin, throwing 179-2 (54.62m)
Nell Graham, North Dakota State So | Sprints | Dodge Center, Minn.
- Placed third in the 400m at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships with a personal-best time of 54.68
- Was a member on the 4x400m relay team that finished runner-up at the league outdoor championships
- Ran the 400m leg on the sprint medley relay that took first at the 2021 Drake Relays
Leah Hansen, South Dakota State Fr | Distance | Willmar, Minn.
- Earned a trip to the 2021 NCAA West Prelims in both the 5000m and the 10,000m
- Won both the 5000m (16:54.60) and the 10,000m (35:37.00) at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships
- Won the 10,000m (34:03.30) at the 2021 Drake Relays
Faith Leiseth, South Dakota State So | Throws | Hayti, S.D.
- Threw an outdoor personal-best of 47-11 (14.60m) in the shot put at the 2021 South Dakota Challenge, ranking fifth all-time at SDSU
- Notched a personal record in the discus of 165-3 (50.37m) at the 2021 South Dakota Tune-Up, ranking fifth all-time in program history
- Finished fourth in the discus and 13th in the shot put at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships
Gabrielle Gibson, Oral Roberts Sr | Hurdles/Sprints | Nassau, Bahamas
- Ran a leg in the 4x100m relay team that took the title at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships in a time of 45.62
- Finished runner-up in the 100m hurdles at the league outdoor championships with a personal-best time of 13.45
- Took third in the 100m dash at the league outdoor championships in a time of 11.83
Shalom Olotu, Oral Roberts So | Jumps | Allen, Texas
- Took third place at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships in the triple jump with a leap of 40-01.25 (12.22m)
- Claimed seventh in the high jump at the league outdoor championships clearing a height of 5-3 (1.60m)
- Took 10th place in the long jump at the league outdoor championships with a mark of 18-01.75 (5.53m)
Natalie Mohring, North Dakota Jr | Throws | Wausau, Wis.
- Placed sixth in the discus at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships throwing a mark of 154-10 (47.20m)
- Finished 14th in the hammer throw at the league outdoor championships with a launch of 163-3 (49.76m)
- Threw a personal-best mark of 170-7 (52.00m) to finish sixth at the 2021 Ron Masanz Track & Field Classic
Elise Ulseth, North Dakota Sr | Multis | Kristiansund, Norway
- Transferred to North Dakota from Queens University
- Qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the heptathlon
- Finished runner-up with 5,414 total points
Caroline Anderson, St. Thomas Fr | Jumps | St. Paul, Minn.
- Took fifth in the high jump at the 2022 Summit League Indoor Championships clearing a height of 5-3 (1.60m)
- Finished third at the Minnesota Open in the high jump clearing a personal-best height of 5-5 (1.65m)
Molly Reighard, St. Thomas Gr | Sprints/Hurdles | Waconia, Minn.
- Transferred to St. Thomas from Loyola
- Finished sixth in the 400m hurdles at the 2021 Missouri Valley Outdoor Championships with a time of 1:02.18
- Ran a leg of the 4x100m relay team that finished seventh in the event with a time of 47.40
Maleigha Huston, Western Illinois Fr | Distance | Good Hope, Ill.
- Was a member of the DMR relay team that took fifth at the 2022 Summit League Indoor Championships with a time of 12:20.25
- Ran a leg of the 4x400m relay team that finished eighth at the league indoor championships with a time of 4:02.61
- Clocked a time of 2:14.29 in the 800m good for 11th place at the league indoor championships
Paige Blackford, Omaha Jr | Distance | Des Moines, Iowa
- Posted a lifetime best of 1:01.09 in the 400m at the 2021 South Dakota Tune-Up
- Had the Mavericks' top 800m time of the season with a time of 2:18.43, a lifetime best, at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships
- Ran a lifetime best time of 4:59.06 in the 1500m at the 2021 Jim Duncan Invitational
Sheridan Rodriguez, Omaha Sr | Multis | Deerfield, Kan.
- Finished third in the high jump with a mark of 5-07 (1.70m) at the 2021 Summit League Outdoor Championships
- Won the high jump event at the 2021 Kip Janvrin Open clearing a height of 5-7 (1.70m)
