Carlson, Schmaltz to Represent NDSU at NCAA Championships

FARGO, N.D. - Seniors Christine Schmaltz and Whitney Carlson will compete for the North Dakota State women's track and field team at the 2011 NCAA Division I Championships in Des Moines, Iowa June 8-11.  Schmaltz will run the 800 meters in her first trip to NCAAs, while Carlson will compete in the long jump and heptathlon in her third straight NCAA Championships.

Live coverage - Live statistics will be available free of charge on GoBison.com.  Live video coverage of the entire championships will be available on NCAA.com.  The championships will be televised Friday, June 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Central on CBS Sports Network and on Saturday, June 11 from 12-2 p.m. Central on CBS.  Tickets for the meet are available at GoDrakeBulldogs.com.

NDSU competition schedule (all times Central)

NDSU History at NCAA Division I Championships In 2010, Whitney Carlson, Heather Zander and Toni Tollefson competed at the NCAA Championships.  Zander earned All-America honors in the heptathlon after finishing ninth with a school record 5,427 points.  Carlson was an All-American in the long jump after placing 11th with a mark of 20-3 3/4.  Toni Tollefson competed in the high jump but did not clear the opening height.  In 2009, Laura Hermanson became NDSU's first Division I All-American by finishing as the runner-up in the 800 meters in a school record time of 2:01.37.  Brittany Gigstead was 23rd in the 800 meters and Carlson was 23rd in the 400 meter hurdles.  Leslie Brost finished 12th in the pole vault.

Carlson Season Review Whitney Carlson advanced to the NCAA Championships in the long jump after finishing 12th at the NCAA West Preliminary Round with a mark of 20-0 1/4.   She qualified in the heptathlon after posting the 21st best score in the nation at the Drake Relays with 5,352 points.  She had the most successful Summit League Championships of her career, winning four titles in the long jump, 100 meter hurdles, 400 meter hurdles and heptathlon.  She set a personal best mark of 5,352 points en route to winning the heptathlon at the Drake Relays April 26.  Her season best mark in the long jump came at the NDSU vs. UND dual meet, where she won the event with a mark of 20-10.

Schmaltz Season Review Christine Schmaltz advanced to the NCAA Championships in the 800 meters after taking third in her heat in 2:07.06.  She defended her Summit League title in the 800 meters and also won the 1,500 meter crown.  She has won the 800 meters at three meets this season, including the league championships.  She ran a personal best time of 2:05.81 to take first at the Duke Invitational on April 9. 

Carlson Named Academic All-District Whitney Carlson earned her third straight selection to the Capital One Academic All-District first team announced on June 2.  She has a 4.00 GPA in zoology and now advances to the national ballot for ESPN Academic All-America honors.  She was a first team selection in 2010 and a third team honoree in 2009.

Bison Sweep Summit League Awards Senior Whitney Carlson was named both Track Championship MVP and Field Championship MVP in a vote of the league's head coaches at the Summit League Championships.  Carlson won four  titles (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump, heptathlon) in her final Summit League meet.   Freshman Katie Dockter earned Newcomer of the Championship honors after finishing second in the long jump and third in the triple jump.  Head coach Ryun Godfrey picked up his fourth straigth outdoor Coach of the Year award.

NDSU Wins Fourth Straight Summit League Crown The Bison racked up 241 points to claim their fourth consecutive outdoor league title on Saturday, May 14, becoming the first team in league history to accomplish the feat. Whitney Carlson led the way with four titles, while Antoinette Goodman (100m and 200m) and Christine Schmaltz (800m and 1,500m) won two apiece.  Goodman's winning 100 meters time of 11.76 set a new school record. Leslie Brost won the pole vault and the Bison also took first in both the 4x100 and the 4x400 relays.