NDSU Men Host Thundering Herd Classic Feb. 1-2

The North Dakota State men's track & field team will return to the brand new Shelly Ellig Indoor Track & Field Complex this weekend to host the Thundering Herd Classic on Friday, Feb. 1 and Saturday, Feb. 2.

Friday will feature the first four events of the men's heptathlon beginning at 3:45 p.m. The men's weight throw will also take place on Friday, following the women's event which begins at 3:30 p.m.

The heptathlon is slated to resume at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Field events and running events will get underway with the long jump and 5,000m at noon on Saturday.

North Dakota State will be joined in competition by South Dakota State, North Dakota and the University of Mary.

Summit League Leaders

Through the first three weeks of the indoor season, NDSU has situated itself nicely on the Summit League performance lists. Moses Heppner, Alec Espeland, Travis Fitzke and Dalton Herding currently hold the top four spots in The Summit League in the 800m, with all four coming in under 1:55 early this season.

Other NDSU student-athletes who currently lead The Summit League include Jerome Begin (400m), Fitzke (mile), Matt Tetlaff (60m hurdles) and Andy Lillejord (heptathlon).

Weight Throw

Casey Orgon, Trevor Berner and Blake Elsen are all ranked among the top five in The Summit League in the weight throw, and all three currently stand in the top seven on the NDSU all-time list in the event.

            Orgon is the school record holder in the weight throw at 63-06 (19.35m). Berner ranks No. 3 in the conference this year and No. 4 all-time at NDSU with his personal-best throw of 59-01.50 (18.02m) at the Bill Bergan Invitational on Jan. 26. Elsen also recorded a personal-best mark at the Bergan Invitational, throwing 57-10.25 (17.63m) to rank fifth in the league and seventh on the NDSU all-time list.

Berghuis Breaks Through

Redshirt freshman Brandt Berghuis registered a personal-best toss of 52-10.75 (16.12m) in the shot put on Jan. 26 to rank No. 7 in NDSU history and No. 3 in The Summit League this season.

National Leaderboard

Three Bison remain in the top 50 on the national performance lists this season. Junior Andy Lillejord is No. 11 in the heptathlon, senior Casey Orgon is No. 25 in the weight throw, and senior Travis Fitzke is 50th in the mile.

Lillejord's Marks

Along with leading The Summit League in the heptathlon, junior Andy Lillejord also ranks among the top 10 in the conference in five other events. Lillejord is second in the pole vault, fourth in the long jump, seventh in the high jump, eighth in the 60m dash and 10th in the 60m hurdles.

South Dakota State Athletes to Watch
Michael Krsnak, Sr., Distance
     Second in The Summit League in the mile ... personal-best mile time of 4:08.83.
LeAndre Kennedy, Fr., Sprints
     Third in The Summit League with a 60m time of 6.98 seconds.

North Dakota Athletes to Watch
Jesse Fenstermacher, Jr., Mid-Distance
     Third in the Big Sky Conference in the 800m ... indoor 800m best of 1:52.43.
Shawn Johnson, Jr., Throws
     Second in the Big Sky Conference in the shot put ... indoor best of 55-04.75 (16.88m).

University of Mary Athletes to Watch
Aaron Teigen, Jr., Triple Jump
     Second in the Northern Sun Conference in the triple jump ... personal best of 45-09.75.
Thomas Hartwell, Sr., Jumps
     Second in the Northern Sun Conference in the long jump ... third in the triple jump.