Wayne State College is picked fifth in the men’s division and 12th in the women’s division for the 2017 NSIC Outdoor Track and Field preseason coaches polls.
The Wildcat men’s team received 60 points in voting by coaches across the league and was fifth out of 11 teams in the conference. Defending NSIC champion Minnesota State was picked as the team to beat this year with 97 points and nine first-place votes followed by Augustana second at 84 points and one first-place vote. Sioux Falls claimed the other first-place vote and was third with 82 points followed by University of Mary (61) and Wayne State.
Antoine Bardou, a junior from St. Chely-D’apcher, France via Indian Hills Community College, is the Wildcat Track Athlete to Watch after being named NSIC Men’s Indoor Newcomer of the Year last month. He was the NSIC indoor 1,000-meter run champion and placed fourth in the mile run.
Robert Sullivan, a sophomore from Bennington, was named the Wildcat Field Athlete to Watch after winning the NSIC indoor heptathlon with a new school record 5,141 points and was eighth in the 60-meter hurdles. Last year in the outdoor season, Sullivan came in sixth in the NSIC decathlon and was eighth in the 110-meter hurdles.
The Wayne State women recorded 58 points and were 12th out of 15 teams in the coaches’ poll. Defending NSIC champion Minnesota State was selected the favorite with 192 points and 13 first-place votes. The University of Mary came in second at 173 points with Winona State third (162), Augustana fourth (153) and Minnesota Duluth fifth (149).
Senior Melissa Kroll was named Wayne State’s Track Athlete to Watch this season. Last year, she was ninth in the 400-meter dash.
Junior Michaela Dendinger is the Wildcat Field Athlete to Watch. During the indoor season, Dendinger earned All-NSIC honors in the weight throw (second) and shot put (third) and qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Nationals in both events. She missed last year’s outdoor season as a medical redshirt.
