Defending national champion and All-American Michaela Dendinger was named the Northern Sun Conference’s Preseason Field Athlete of the Year as the outdoor track and field coaches poll and athletes to watch were announced by the NSIC.
Dendinger, a senior thrower from Coleridge, was last year's NSIC Women's Field Athlete of the Year after winning three events – discus, hammer throw and shot put – at the NSIC Outdoor Championships. She went on become national champion in the shot put while placing second in the hammer throw and sixth in the discus. During this year's indoor season, Dendinger won the shot put and weight throw and earned All-American honors with second place finishes in both events.
Dendinger and Mary Alderson are named the Wildcats’ Athletes to Watch in women’s track. Alderson, a graduate student sprinter from North Bend, is coming off a strong indoor season, placing eighth in the 600-meter dash at the NSIC Indoor Championships.
The Wayne State women’s team was picked ninth out of 15 teams in the NSIC preseason coaches poll. University of Mary edged Minnesota State for the top spot, with Augustana, Winona State and Minnesota Duluth rounding out the top five.
On the men’s side, Wayne State was picked sixth in the coaches poll. Minnesota State was a unanimous selection to lead the men’s race, with University of Mary, Augustana, Sioux Falls and Minnesota Duluth rounding out the top five.
Junior Robert Sullivan and sophomore Clay Kramper were listed as Wildcat Athletes to Watch this season.
Sullivan, a junior from Bennington, scored points in three events in last year's outdoor season with a pair of All-NSIC finishes (third) in the long jump and decathlon. During this year's indoor season, Sullivan was a repeat champion in the NSIC heptathlon and a national indoor qualifier in the event for a second straight season.
Kramper, a sophomore sprinter from Homer, placed fourth in the 200-meter dash during this year's indoor season and set a new school record in the event (21.94 seconds).
