NEW ORLEANS (KELO.com) – Five University of Sioux Falls Track and Field student-athletes were named All-Americans for the 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field season, according to an announcement Tuesday, May 26 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Those honored from USF included senior Zach Lundberg of the USF Men’s Track and Field squad in the mile. The USF Women’s Track and Field Team honorees included junior Taryn Ceglowski in the 800 meters and the mile run; sophomore KaNya Henderson in the 60 meters, junior Emma Hertz in the shot put and senior Jaimie McNamee in the weight throw.
Normal policies dictate that All-America honors are awarded based on classifications of performance at the NCAA Championships. Due to the cancellation of the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships due to COVID-19, the Executive Committee adopted different criteria for selection in 2020. The criteria included student-athletes on the start list for individual events and student-athletes declared in relays receiving All-American honors. However, the USTFCCA did not make a distinction between “first team” or “second team” All-Americans.
As a result of the USTFCCA announcement, a total of 716 honors were handed out to 117 different institutions. “I am excited for the kids on our team, who received those All-American honors,” said USF Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Doug Petersen.
“Reflecting back, I felt like they would have achieved All-American honors at the meet. So, this is a great thing for them. They are very happy and for that I am pleased,” said Petersen.
With three appearances in cross country, Lundberg would have competed in his 10th overall national meet. Lundberg, a native of Omaha, Neb., was set to compete at his seventh consecutive indoor or outdoor track national championship meet. Lundberg is now a six-time All-American after qualifying in the mile run for the DII nationals after clocking and finishing seventh at the 4:08.54 at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 7.
Ceglowski, originally of Salida, Colo., was the only member of USF’s team who would have competed in two events. She earned her first two All-American honors. She qualified to nationals after a mile run clocking of 4.53.90 at the NSIC Championships (converted time), and an 800-meters time of 2:13.10 at the Maverick Invitational at Mankato, Minn., on Feb. 21.
Henderson, a sophomore from Utica, Miss., received her first All-American honor after registering a school-record 7.55 in the 60-meters prelims at the NSIC Championships on March 1. She finished fourth at the league meet.
Hertz of Sioux Falls, S.D., who was set to compete in her second national indoor meet (third overall indoor and outdoor), earned her second All-American honor. She earned second-team NCAA DII Indoor All-American honors (ninth-place finish, 15.17 meters, 49-09.25) in 2018-19. She earned a berth at the DII meet this year after winning the shot put at the SDSU Last Chance meet with her throw of 14.75 meters or 48-4 ¾.
McNamee of Lakeville, Minn., earned a spot at the DII nationals with her school-record weight throw of 18.81 meters or 61’8.5 at the Ted Nelson Classic on Feb. 8 in Mankato, Minn. She earned her first-ever All-American honor.
(USF Athletics contributed this report/news release.)
