TULSA, Okla. – After becoming a three-time All-Summit League performer during the outdoor conference championships,
Elise Ulseth earned the title of Championship MVP for field events at the Summit League Outdoor Championships award ceremony at the conclusion of the meet on Saturday night.
Ulseth reached the podium for the first time of the championships on Thursday evening, earning the silver medal in the javelin with a throw of 151-3 (46.11m). With the runner-up finish, Ulseth earned her first All-Summit League accolade of the outdoor season and was the top finisher for UND of the day.
Following the runner-up finish on Thursday, Ulseth returned to the ONEOK Sports Complex on Friday and won the gold medal in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 20-10 3/4 (6.37m). That mark obliterated her previous school record of 20-0 1/4 (6.10m) set earlier this season.
With the school-record breaking leap, Ulseth now owns the No. 25 long jump mark in the NCAA this season. Ulseth's jump likely qualified her for the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the long jump, as that distance currently sits No. 13 regionally.
Before Ulseth's long jump title, she also placed fifth in the high jump with a height of 5-7 1/4 (1.71m) to score the first points for UND on Friday.
The native from Kristiansun, Norway, also qualified for the 100-meter hurdles final on Friday evening, automatically qualifying in the prelims with the second-fastest time of her heat with a time of 13.65. Ulseth's 100-meter hurdles time broke her own school record of 13.91 set earlier in the season.
Ulseth picked up her final all-conference performance of the Summit League Outdoor Championships on Saturday afternoon, taking third in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.97. With that finish, Ulseth concluded her stay at the outdoor conference championships with three medals (gold – long jump, silver – javelin and bronze – 100-meter hurdles).
Earlier in the day, she also recorded a mark of 37-10 1/2 (11.54m) to finish with the No. 6 triple jump leap in school history.
Ulseth has been rewriting the record books since she stepped on campus and has four school records to her name already this outdoor season, including the No. 12 point total in the NCAA currently in the heptathlon with a school record 5,685 points.
The Championship MVP has likely already qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon. Ulseth will now wait to see what additional events she earned bids in to the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Qualifiers to the NCAA West Preliminary Round will be determined early next week, with athletes who have top-48 marks in the West Region earning bids to the competition. The NCAA West Preliminary Round is scheduled for May 25-28 in Fayetteville, Ark.
Women's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship:
Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota
Field Championship MVP:
Elise Ulseth, North Dakota
Track Championship MVP: Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
Men's Individual Awards
Newcomer of the Championship: Gary Afram, St. Thomas
Field Championship MVP: Trevor Otterdahl, North Dakota State
Track Championship MVP: Ben Olson, South Dakota State
