Spearfish, SD – Arguably the best of the three running seasons has finally arrived and the Black Hills State University track and field teams are ready to compete this weekend in the Yellow Jacket Holiday Classic. There's always a reason for the electricity in the air for indoor track season, and for the Yellow Jackets, it's their tradition of excellence. Since becoming eligible for D2 national championships in 2013, the track team has produced two national champions, one national runner-up, and numerous All-Americans.
 
Action begins Friday with the multi events at 3:30 pm. On Saturday, the multis have an early 9:00 am start while field events will start at 12:30 pm. The gun will go off 1:30 pm kicking off the running events with the men's and women's 5k.
 
"We've worked hard this fall and we are ready to bust some rust," said head coach Seth Mischke. "This meet is always a great opportunity to open at home and see where we are at heading into the valuable training block before the season gets into full swing."
 
Heading into this season, both the men's and women's teams were picked to finish in eighth in the RMAC indoor track and field coaches' preseason polls. A year ago, in the high altitude of Alamosa, CO, the men's squad finished ninth while the women's team finished seventh.
 
Four All-Americans return to lead the Yellow Jackets this season. Jordyn Huneke placed sixth in the national meet earning All-American Honors last year and hopes to improve upon that performance. She is also the current indoor school record holder. Jordan Theisen is also back and has qualified for the indoor national meet twice in his career. Last year he earned All-American Honors with his performance in the 1200m leg on the sixth place DMR. That DMR performance tied the school record. Also on that DMR was Tristan Hepp, who ran the 400m leg. He returns tied for the school record with his brother, Taylor Hepp the 400m runner on the 2018 second team All-American DMR, in the 200m dash.
 
This season will mark the first time in over two decades that Scott Walkinshaw will not be leading the Yellow Jacket distance squad. Scott Foley, the assistant cross country coach, will take the helm of the distance program this track season.  
 
 
Last Season Fast Recap:
The pole vault squad put three in the top eight at the indoor conference meet with Jordyn Huneke leading the way in second. Whitney Scott finished in sixth and Hannah Hendrick scrapped out a point in eighth.
In the throws, freshman standout Kyla Sawvell finished third in the shot put and sixth in the weight throw. Maddi Fidler placed eighth in the weight throw. On the track, Erica Dykstra, Zoe Langseth, and Taylor Lunduist ran the sixth fastest 4 by 400 in school history to garner ALL-RMAC honors with their fourth place finish.
Running to number two all time in 60m dash was Breanne Fuller.
Jordan Theisen moved to second all time in the 1000m, fourth all time in the 800m, and fifth all time in the mile. At the 2018 RAMC indoor meet, he garnered ALL-RMAC honors in the mile.