NDSU Women's Track Earns Lofty Ranking

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State women’s track & field team broke new ground this week in the outdoor regional team rankings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), coming in at No. 2 in the Midwest region for the highest ranking in school history.

The Bison women trail only reigning NCAA champion Kansas in the Midwest regional team rankings, which includes all Division I schools in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and North Dakota.

The USTFCCCA calculates national and regional team rankings based on national and regional descending order lists.

NDSU women own the Midwest region’s top performances in four events this outdoor season. Antoinette Goodman is the region’s fastest in the 100m dash at 11.64 seconds, and Ashley Tingelstad tops the charts in the 400m dash at 53.73 seconds. Junior Paige Stratioti is No. 1 in the Midwest in the 800m with her time of 2:05.94 that ranks seventh nationally, and senior hurdler Deborah John tops the 100m hurdles at 13.68 seconds.

Both Bison relay teams are ranked high as well, with the 4x400m team of Stratioti, Morgan Milbrath, Ashley Heinze and Tingelstad coming in at No. 2 behind only Iowa. John, Milbrath, Tingelstad and Goodman are third in the 4x100m relay behind Iowa and Kansas.

Both NDSU relays are currently ranked 17th in the nation.

The highest team ranking in school history is due in large part to multiple appearances on the national performance lists by several individuals. Within the Midwest region, Goodman is first in the 100m, fifth in the 200m and fifth in the long jump. Tingelstad ranks second in the 100m in addition to owning the top spot in the 400m, and Stratioti is fourth on the Midwest 400m list to go along with her No. 1 ranking in the 800m.

NDSU’s previous highest ranking was sixth in the first week of April 2013.

The Bison are scheduled to host the Team Nodak Decathlon/Heptathlon on Friday, Apr. 11, and Saturday, Apr. 12, this week, as well as the Lyle Hokanson Classic on Saturday, Apr. 12.