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

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.

In the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, both teams were tabbed to finish second in the conference. Tyl Woelber was selected as the NSIC Preseason Field Athlete of the Year.

About the Viking Women

The Vikings have 22 marks that are within the top-8 in the conference, which would grant points for Augustana at the conference meet. Among the 22 marks, Cami Streff holds the top spot in the 800m, looking for her first NSIC title.

Additionally, Augustana has 11 marks within the top-3 spots in the NSIC.

Mearah Miedema (high jump) and Rebekah Rairdon (3,000m steeplechase) have the chance to defend their titles from last year's NSIC Outdoor Championships. Miedema's performance in the high jump at last year's NSIC Outdoor Championships broke the conference record, clearing 5-9.75.

Augustana will look to score a majority of the points in the distance events with Patty Jo English, Nicolette Schmidt and Megan Means, all having times notable to win their respective events.

The Vikings also have a chance to score points in the heptathlon, with Kylee Sallee and Kaye Paschka having the two best marks for Augustana this season.

Kaly Banks, who most recently had a massive personal best in the triple jump to claim the school record, has the third-best mark in the NSIC this season and has been consistently improving her mark this season.

About the Viking Men

In the most recent USTFCCCA Rating Index, the Vikings moved to No. 19. Similar to the women, the men of Augustana also have 22 marks this season which are among the top-eight places that would grant Augustana points at the conference meet. The Vikings enter the meet with the top spot in four events, Tyl Woelber has the best mark in the javelin and high jump. Austin Miller in the metric mile and Ryan Hartman holds the top spot in both the 5,000m and the 3,000m steeplechase.

All three of the aforementioned Vikings have a chance to defend titles from last year, as Woelber won the javelin, Miller won the 1,500m and Hartman took gold in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Three additional Vikings will join Miller in the 1,500m with hopes of getting the majority of the points out of the event. The trio of Evan Johnson, Matt Steiger and Colten Brand are all within the top-8 in the conference.

Miller will also contend for the 800m title having the third-best time in the NSIC.

Augustana will have a cross country-like affair in the 5,000m, with eight Vikings entered in the race and three of the top-four best times in the NSIC.

The Vikings also have a chance to pick up points in the hurdle events, with Lawrence Lokonobei and Andrew Martens both being within the top-8 in the 110m hurdles and the 400m hurdles.

Lokonobei has broken the school record and lowered the school record three times this season in the 110m hurdles, and enters the race third-best in the conference.

The Vikings also have all-conference potential in the 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay, with both relays having top-three times this season.

–GoAugie.com–