SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University track and field teams head down to Alamosa, Colo., this weekend for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. Action begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning with the women's pentathlon. Field events are slated for a 9:00 am start with the women's pole vault. Running events will begin late afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

Competition will resume Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon and women's high jump. Running events will start at noon.

"I am looking forward to the culmination of our training at the biggest meet of the indoor season," said head coach Seth Mischke. "We will be competing against some of the nations' top athletes this weekend and I know the team is ready to step up."

Heading into the championships, the Yellow Jackets are ranked in the top three in multiple events, with a dominating representation in the women's pole vault. Sophomore Jordyn Huneke is second in the conference and sixth in the nation. Meanwhile, freshman Hannah Hendrick and sophomore Whitney Scott are tied for sixth in the conference with their provisional mark of 11' 9.75". Senior Alexandra Richards and sophomore JoJo Sherman are 12^th and 14^th respectively in the conference.

Richards heads into conference also ranked second in the high jump and 16^th in the shot put. Elsewhere in the field, freshman Kyla Sawvell is fourth in the weight throw and ninth in the shot put, while sophomore Maddi Fidler is 11^th in the weight and 12^th in the shot. Junior Katie Campbell enters the triple jump in 13^th.

On the track, senior Shayna Soderstrom is ranked sixth in the 200m and 13^th in the 60m. Teammate freshman Breanne Fuller is right behind in 14^th. In the 60m hurdles, junior Brittney Marosok is 13^th. Junior Zoe Langseth is 11th in 400m. In the 800m, senior Cailey Roth is seventh, freshmen Taylor Lindquist and Erica Dykstra are 12^th and 14^th, respectively. Sophomore Mayson Hudyma rounds out the packed 800m at 17^th, while junior Abbie Fredrick heads into the mile ranked seventh. BHSU also had deep representation in the 5000m; a trio of seniors, Tori Moore, Savannah Davis, and Nicole Davis are eighth,15^th, and 16^th, respectively. Sophomore Xiomara Robinson rounds out the list at 18^th.

The 4x400 meter relay has also posted the sixth fastest time in the conference this year.

On the men's side, the 800m runs deep. Junior Jordan Theisen is fifth with a time just milliseconds from a national provisional qualifying mark. Meanwhile, seniors Keegan Her Many Horses and Levi Fried are ninth and 12^th. Theisen will double back in the mile, where he is ranked ninth. Junior Jake Iverson will also race in the mile, coming in at 11^th. Senior Jonah Theisen will be racing in a stacked 3000m; he is 13^th in the conference and 23^rd in the nation in this event. In the 5000m, senior Nate Fredrick is 16^th, and sophomore Mathew Parker is 18^th.

In the sprints, the Hepp Brothers lead the way. Junior Taylor Hepp is second in the 400m and 16^th in the 200m, while junior Tristan Hepp is fourth in the 200m and third in the high jump. That jump is currently tied for 22^nd in the nation. Junior Garret Snook returns to the track and is currently eighth in the 400m rankings. Senior Seth Kovar will take another stab at his school record in the 60m hurdles coming in at 10^th in this event. The 4x400m relay has posted the fourth fastest time in the conference this year.

In the field events, sophomore Allan McDonnell is second in the high jump, with a jump that is currently tied for 16^th in the nation. He will also triple jump where he is ranked ninth coming in to the meet. Senior Ryan Olsen will compete in the grueling heptathlon, where he is eighth. In the pole vault, sophomore Joe Melia enters at 12^th. Sophomore Nicholas Hoyt made both the weight throw and shot put, and is 14^th and 18^th, respectively. Teammate junior Issac Langi also made the weight throw and is 16^th.

After the RMAC championships, the Green and Gold will wait to see who qualifies for the National Championships in Pittsburgh, Kansas in two weeks.