DICKINSON, N.D. - Dickinson State track and field teams are set to compete on the national stage this week at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships, sending 13 athletes across 20 total event entries to Asheville, North Carolina.
The Blue Hawks enter the meet with momentum on both sides, as the women's team is ranked fifth nationally in the latest USTFCCCA NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Team Rating Index (TRFI), while the men sit 33rd nationally.
Dickinson State's women's squad is highlighted by several national title contenders, including senior thrower Chloe Gunderson, who enters the championships ranked No. 1 nationally in the discus with a mark of 50.48 meters. Gunderson also owns the nation's second-best shot put throw at 15.71 meters and is ranked 20th in the hammer throw.
Fellow standout thrower Kori Nagel will compete in three events as well, entering nationals ranked fourth in the shot put (14.65m), seventh in the discus (47.84m), and 16th in the hammer throw (53.92m).
Adarra Hagelund heads into the championships as the top-ranked athlete nationally in the high jump after clearing 1.81 meters during the outdoor season.
The Blue Hawks also feature a strong javelin group led by Codi Nagle, who ranks third nationally with a toss of 45.86 meters while also sitting 12th in the shot put at 13.85 meters. Mya Sheldon will join the field in the javelin after qualifying with a mark of 41.16 meters.
In the discus, Rebecca Eacker enters ranked 15th nationally with a season-best throw of 45.36 meters.
On the men's side, Dylan Dahlgren leads the way after qualifying in three throwing events. Dahlgren enters the meet ranked sixth nationally in the hammer throw with a mark of 60.40 meters, while also ranking 11th in the shot put (16.76m) and 14th in the discus (50.95m).
Distance runner Caleb Sarsland will compete in the 10,000 meters after posting the ninth-fastest time in the NAIA this season at 30:37.48.
In the field events, Ty Leischner and Adrien Calderon both qualified in the pole vault with matching clearances of 4.80 meters, ranking tied for 18th nationally.
Ty Bennick qualified in the shot put with a mark of 16.37 meters, while Kohbe Smith earned a national berth in the triple jump at 14.68 meters.
Kaden Juhnke rounds out the men's qualifiers in the javelin after recording a season-best throw of 58.82 meters.
From May 20-22, the Blue Hawk qualifiers will compete in Asheville, North Carolina, at Karl Straus Track for the final meet of the 2026 outdoor season.
Dickinson State National Qualifiers
