SPEARFISH, S.D. – Early this morning, the Men's DMR consisting of seniors Jonah Theisen and Levi Fried and juniors Jordan Theisen and Tristan Hepp, along with sophomore pole vaulter Jordyn Huneke, set off for Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the NCAA DII Indoor National Championship this weekend. Held at Pittsburgh State University, the DMR will be contested at 7:00 p.m. central time on Friday, March 8 while the women's pole vault will begin at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Both events can be live streamed here: https://www.ncaa.com/event/trackfield-indoor-men/d2/2019/03/08/men-s---women-s-indoor-track---field-championship--day-one

"It's always a great opportunity to compete against the best in the nation," said head track and field coach Seth Mischke. "The DMR members and Huneke already have experience competing at this level and I am hoping they capitalize on that experience."

The Distance Medley Relay is a 4000m, or 2.5 mile, race consisting of a 1200m leg, 400m leg, 800m leg, and a mile leg, in that order. Jordan Theisen will toe the start line in the 1200m and hand off to Hepp, who will sprint the 400m leg. Taking the baton from there will be Fried in the 800m, who will hand off to Jonah on the anchor position. This year's relay enters the meet seeded ninth with a time of 9:49.99.

This will be the fifth consecutive year Black Hills State has had a DMR at the National Championships. This has also been the fast year of qualifying times so far.

"We had to run the fastest ever time run by our DMR in the Young Center to even qualify this year," said head cross country coach Scott Walkinshaw. "We may be going in seeded ninth, but I know everyone feels good. The three distance legs have all competed at Pitt State before and I know it's going to be a great opportunity to see what they can do."

Jonah and Fried head into the National Championship with some unfinished business to settle. In 2016, they were members of the DMR that took third place to earn All-American Honors. The time of 9:49.67 is still a school record and was just 1.5 seconds shy of a National Title. In 2017, they came back to take ninth.

Anchoring on his final indoor race of his Yellow Jacket career, Jonah hopes his impressive fourth DMR appearance will end differently than the last two seasons.

"I think most of us are running with a bit of a chip on our shoulder. We're all really focused and ready to prove that our hard work throughout the season has been for more than just a national qualification," said Jonah. "We'd like to prove that we belong on the podium with an All-American finish again."

Fried, who did not make the relay last year, is competing on his third national team and will also be competing in his final indoor race as a Yellow Jacket.

"I'm excited to compete on the big stage again with a chance to be All-American," said Fried. "These moments are what we have been training for our whole lives and we have to seize the opportunity. [I] Can't wait to toe the line and start breathin' fire with these guys for the final time."

A year ago, Jordan Theisen made his first relay team where he also competed on the 1200m leg. He and Jonah Theisen helped that team along to another ninth place finish. His approach to the meet is simple.

"I have a few phrases I like to throw out, but at the end of the day, you just have to run fast," said Jordan. "On the day of, that's the key to success. I know all my teammates will be giving it everything they got."

Joining his first DMR at the national meet is Hepp. Last year it was his brother Taylor who had the stick for the 400m leg. This year, Tristan has tied the school record in the 200m.

"God has blessed all of the athletes that compete here at Black Hills State with amazing abilities. I'm excited to compete with a few of them and represent the school well at the national meet!" said Hepp.

Meanwhile, in the pole vault, Huneke enters the meet ranked sixth. Her mark of 13' 0.25" is a current school record that she set at the Bison Open this year. This will be Hunekes' second time representing BHSU at a National Championship. In 2018 she placed 14^th at the Outdoor National Championships. She too feels she has some unfished business to take care of.

"I'm excited, grateful, and humbled for another opportunity to compete at another NCAA Dll Track and Field Championship. It's not been an easy road getting here this season, but I remember walking out of Outdoor Nationals last year in 14th and feeling unsatisfied and that is what has pushed me more than anything," said Huneke. "After that performance I saw the potential in myself to be a better vaulter and I knew I was capable of making it back for another national championship. This will be my first time competing at Indoor Nationals so I'm excited to see what will come out of the weekend!"

As the indoor season wraps up, the record boards are unrecognizable. There were a combined 42 final movements by athletes on the Top Ten lists and five new school records. They can all be checked out here: https://bhsuathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=1009