SIOUX FALLS, S.D.-- The Augustana indoor track & field squads are set to travel to Brookings, South Dakota, and Lincoln, Nebraska, this weekend for their final meets of the regular season. The majority of the Vikings squad will head north to the SDSU Last Chance, while a small contingent heads the Nebraska Tune-up in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

Augustana heads into this weekend's contests with 18 provisional qualifying marks and three broken school records. 

The first record breaking performance by a Viking this season was Nyanas Kur who has garnered three provisional marks through the 60 meter hurdles, 200 meter dash and 60 meter dash. Kur has broken the AU school record in the 200 meter dash twice this season. She shattered the previous school record in January with a time of 24.62, then broke her own record just last weekend at the SDSU Indoor Classic with a time of 24:29. 

Kur is joined by Elizabeth Schaefer in the 60 meter hurdles provisional mark category. Schaefer claimed her mark at the Mount Marty Opener at the start of the season. Schaefer recorded a 8.79 time in the event. 

Rounding out the hurdles provisional performances is Lawrence Lokonobei and Andrew Martens in the 60 meter hurdles. Lokonobei holds the Augustana school record in the event with a time of 7.99. He is the first in program history to break the 8-second barrier. Martens joins Lokonobei in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.07 ranking in the top-25 in the nation. 

The AU distance squad continues to make monumental strides for the Vikings this season. Six distance runners recorded provisional times. The first mark came from Megan Means in December at the 2022 Mel Tjeerdsma Classic. She finished the 5000 meter run in a time of 17:00.92 to collect her qualifying mark. Henry Klitzke joined Means in the 5000 meter run claiming both a provisional mark and program record this season. Klitzke is now the school record holder in the event with a time of 14:06.49. 

Klitzke has also garnered an additional provisional mark in the 3000 meter run with a time of 8:14.58 ranking him at 15th in the nation. Colten Brand holds a provisional mark in the 3000 meter event with a time of 8:17.75. Brand has an additional qualifying mark in the mile run with a time of 4:10.12. 

Rounding out the distance quad is the 4x400 relay of Maia Peterson, Mia Salas, Nicolette Schmidt and Ella Heinitz. The quartet holds a top-20 placement in the event with a time of 11:48.52. Adding on to her impressive performance in the relay, Schmidt garnered a second provisional finish in the one mile run with a time of 4:56.34. Patty Jo English also holds a provisional mark in the one mile with a time of 4:53.83 to rank in the top-30 in Division II. 

The final Viking to claim an NCAA provisional mark is Kylee Sallee who holds two marks in the pentathlon and long jump. Sallee ranks 20th in the nation in the pentathlon with a total score of 3546. Salle has seen a career-best 5.72 meter distance in the long jump to garner her second provisional mark this season.

This weekend is the Vikings final week of regular season action. Next weekend, the squad will travel to Mankato, Minnesota, to take on the NSIC Championships on Friday and Saturday. Following the NSIC Championships, AU competes at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, March 10-11. 

–GoAugie.com–