SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana track & field teams are ready to compete this weekend at the NSIC Championships hosted by Minnesota State in Mankato, Minnesota.

Complete action can be found at GoAugie.com/Live where there will be a live stream of each field event and a camera on the track at all times.

In the preseason poll, Minnesota State was selected to place first for both the men and women. The Augustana men's and women's squads were tabbed to finish second in the conference. Tyl Woelber was selected as the Preseason Field Athlete of the Year while Austin Miller was tabbed Preseason Track Athlete of the Year.

"The conference championships always bring out the best in our teams," director of track & field/cross country Tracy Hellman said. "The coaching staff and I are optimistic that we will have some outstanding results from this weekend.

"We pride our program with stepping up and performing at the end of the year and our teams have been trending upward," Hellman added. "We are focused and motivated and I'm confident our teams will perform at a high level.

About the Viking Women

The women stayed at No. 25 in the latest USTFCCCA Rating Index and have 23 marks that are within the top-8 of the conference which would grant the Vikings points at the conference meet. Among the 23 marks, the Vikings hold the top spot in three open events along with the distance medley relay.

Cami Streff has the best time in the NSIC this season in both the 800m and the 1,000m while Nicolette Schmidt is tops the conference in the 3,000m.

Three additional Vikings join Schmidt in the top-eight within the conference in the 3,000m which could turn out to be a valuable event for Augustana.

Mearah Miedema will look to defend her high jump title from last year, coming into form at the right time with the second-best jump in the conference coming at the SDSU Last Chance Meet.

About the Viking Men

The Augustana men will look to be in contention for the NSIC Championship as they came 1.5 points short of winning their first-ever NSIC Indoor Championship last year. 

This season, the men of Augustana have 28 marks that stand within the top-8 within the conference that would bring in points for the Vikings at the conference meet. Among those 28 marks, Augustana holds the top spot in four events.

The Vikings will receive plenty of points from the distance events, with Miller having the fastest time in the mile, Ryan Hartman running the best time in the conference in the 3,000m and Alec Kray holding the top spot in the 5,000m. Additionally, the Vikings have the best time in the NSIC in the distance medley relay this season. 

Woelber will also be a big contributor for the Vikings as he is the meet's High-Point Performer two years running and is in contention to make it a third this weekend.

The Vikings will look to spoil points for Minnesota State in the sprint and hurdle events in Lawrence Lokonobei, Gavin Fischer and Matthew Schoessow. 

–GoAugie.com–