University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, May 14
Fargo, N.D.
vs
Summit League Outdoor Championships
Women finish historic third behind title winners Keller and Vennink
5/18/2026 12:09:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Track & Field men totaled three podium finishers at Summit League Outdoor Championships
FARGO, N.D. -- St. Thomas women's outdoor track & field delivered the best Summit League Championship finish in program history, placing third with a program-record 117.5 points at the 2026 Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by North Dakota State. The Tommie women earned two individual conference titles, totaled 23 point-scoring performances from 17 student-athletes and added multiple program records and podium finishes while the men put together three podium finishes, including a second-place finish for the 4x100-meter relay.
WOMEN
The Tommie women were led by conference champions Olivia Keller and Layla Vennink as St. Thomas finished behind only team champion North Dakota State and runner-up North Dakota.
Keller capped her Summit League career with a title in the 400m hurdles, winning the event in 59.13 after setting a program record of 58.57 during prelims. Her preliminary time ranks 12th in the NCAA Midwest Region and 49th in the NCAA West Region this season. Keller totaled 19 team points during the championship meet, also contributing to the second-place 4x400m relay while scoring in both the long jump and 100m hurdles.
Freshman Layla Vennink earned Summit League Newcomer of the Championship honors after totaling 16 points. She won the 800m title in 2:12.00 just over an hour after placing third in the 1500m run in 4:29.51.
The Tommies added five bronze-medal finishes during the championship. Olivia Goebel placed third in the 3000m steeplechase in 10:32.47, ranking third in program history, while Danika Apple took third in the 100m dash in 11.44. Chloe Staub earned bronze in the javelin with a throw of 44.63m and Brooke Wisdom cleared 4.13m for third in the pole vault. Wisdom previously cleared a program best 4.20m in the event to rank 32nd in the NCAA West Region.
Relay teams also powered the Tommies' historic finish. The 4x100m relay of Jayi Wilson, Alexis Pratt, Apple and Cassia Cady finished second in 45.23, while the 4x400m relay team of Tessa Campbell, Pratt, Rebecca Randleman and Keller also secured silver in 3:40.93.
Pratt added another record-breaking performance in the 200m dash prelims, clocking a program-record 23.45 to rank 10th in the NCAA Midwest Region before placing fifth in the final. Campbell's 55.84 in the 400m dash moved her to fourth in program history, while Christina Driver (triple jump) and Brianna Fleek (long jump) both added scoring performances with top-six program marks.
MEN
The St. Thomas men totaled 13 point-scoring performances and finished seventh at the conference championship meet, highlighted by four podium finishes and several strong individual performances.
The 4x100m relay team of Jack Weigel, Braeden Brouwer, Jayson Koel and Jacob Gilbertson earned silver with a runner-up finish in 41.01 to score eight team points. Jack Rosner added a bronze medal in the decathlon with 7,205 points, while freshman Sam Hebert placed third in the 400m dash in 48.32.
Andrew Eichmann led the Tommies in the field events with a fourth-place finish in the javelin at 60.08m, ranking sixth in program history and 21st in the NCAA Midwest Region this season.
Koel paced the team with eight total points, contributing to the runner-up relay while also placing fifth in the 100m dash and seventh in the 200m dash.
QUOTEABLES
Women's Head Coach Ashley Lucas
"This weekend was one to remember. I saw so much heart, grit and fight from the team. We went in with a team goal to compete fearlessly and they did just that.
"There are too many amazing performances to highlight them all, but Olivia Keller capping off her Summit League career with a win in the 400-meter hurdles, then coming back to anchor the 4x400-meter relay to a needed second-place finish to secure a third-place team finish is one. Along with Layla Vennink having the meet of her life finishing third in the 1500-meter and then coming back an hour later to win the 800-meter, and for that getting Newcomer of the Championship.
"It was truly everyone on the team that helped us tally the most events we have scored in, our highest team point score and that led to our program-best third-place finish. I could not be more proud of this team."
Men's Head Coach Pete Wareham
"We had some very strong performances at the Summit League Championships. I am proud of how our guys competed. Unfortunately, we weren't able to be on top of many close battles during the meet.
"Sam Hebert was outstanding again and a truly talented athlete and competitor. Andrew Eichmann stepped up too in the javelin, Jayson Koel continued to impress as a rock-solid performer in the challenging sprints. It was also enjoyable to see Jack Weigel emerge as such a strong sprinter. Our decathletes led by Jack Rosner and including Grayson Spronk and Vincenzo Miller competed very well.
"We had many terrific achievements during the year and I am proud of our guys."
UP NEXT
The NCAA First Round will be held May 27-30 in Fayetteville, Ark. The individual event student-athletes and relay teams accepted into First Round competition will be announced and posted on NCAA.com the week prior to First Round competition.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Track & Field, follow along on Twitter at @TommieXCTF. Follow both programs on Instagram at @tommiewxctf and @tommiemtfxc
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
WOMEN
The Tommie women were led by conference champions Olivia Keller and Layla Vennink as St. Thomas finished behind only team champion North Dakota State and runner-up North Dakota.
Keller capped her Summit League career with a title in the 400m hurdles, winning the event in 59.13 after setting a program record of 58.57 during prelims. Her preliminary time ranks 12th in the NCAA Midwest Region and 49th in the NCAA West Region this season. Keller totaled 19 team points during the championship meet, also contributing to the second-place 4x400m relay while scoring in both the long jump and 100m hurdles.
Freshman Layla Vennink earned Summit League Newcomer of the Championship honors after totaling 16 points. She won the 800m title in 2:12.00 just over an hour after placing third in the 1500m run in 4:29.51.
The Tommies added five bronze-medal finishes during the championship. Olivia Goebel placed third in the 3000m steeplechase in 10:32.47, ranking third in program history, while Danika Apple took third in the 100m dash in 11.44. Chloe Staub earned bronze in the javelin with a throw of 44.63m and Brooke Wisdom cleared 4.13m for third in the pole vault. Wisdom previously cleared a program best 4.20m in the event to rank 32nd in the NCAA West Region.
Relay teams also powered the Tommies' historic finish. The 4x100m relay of Jayi Wilson, Alexis Pratt, Apple and Cassia Cady finished second in 45.23, while the 4x400m relay team of Tessa Campbell, Pratt, Rebecca Randleman and Keller also secured silver in 3:40.93.
Pratt added another record-breaking performance in the 200m dash prelims, clocking a program-record 23.45 to rank 10th in the NCAA Midwest Region before placing fifth in the final. Campbell's 55.84 in the 400m dash moved her to fourth in program history, while Christina Driver (triple jump) and Brianna Fleek (long jump) both added scoring performances with top-six program marks.
MEN
The St. Thomas men totaled 13 point-scoring performances and finished seventh at the conference championship meet, highlighted by four podium finishes and several strong individual performances.
The 4x100m relay team of Jack Weigel, Braeden Brouwer, Jayson Koel and Jacob Gilbertson earned silver with a runner-up finish in 41.01 to score eight team points. Jack Rosner added a bronze medal in the decathlon with 7,205 points, while freshman Sam Hebert placed third in the 400m dash in 48.32.
Andrew Eichmann led the Tommies in the field events with a fourth-place finish in the javelin at 60.08m, ranking sixth in program history and 21st in the NCAA Midwest Region this season.
Koel paced the team with eight total points, contributing to the runner-up relay while also placing fifth in the 100m dash and seventh in the 200m dash.
QUOTEABLES
Women's Head Coach Ashley Lucas
"This weekend was one to remember. I saw so much heart, grit and fight from the team. We went in with a team goal to compete fearlessly and they did just that.
"There are too many amazing performances to highlight them all, but Olivia Keller capping off her Summit League career with a win in the 400-meter hurdles, then coming back to anchor the 4x400-meter relay to a needed second-place finish to secure a third-place team finish is one. Along with Layla Vennink having the meet of her life finishing third in the 1500-meter and then coming back an hour later to win the 800-meter, and for that getting Newcomer of the Championship.
"It was truly everyone on the team that helped us tally the most events we have scored in, our highest team point score and that led to our program-best third-place finish. I could not be more proud of this team."
Men's Head Coach Pete Wareham
"We had some very strong performances at the Summit League Championships. I am proud of how our guys competed. Unfortunately, we weren't able to be on top of many close battles during the meet.
"Sam Hebert was outstanding again and a truly talented athlete and competitor. Andrew Eichmann stepped up too in the javelin, Jayson Koel continued to impress as a rock-solid performer in the challenging sprints. It was also enjoyable to see Jack Weigel emerge as such a strong sprinter. Our decathletes led by Jack Rosner and including Grayson Spronk and Vincenzo Miller competed very well.
"We had many terrific achievements during the year and I am proud of our guys."
UP NEXT
The NCAA First Round will be held May 27-30 in Fayetteville, Ark. The individual event student-athletes and relay teams accepted into First Round competition will be announced and posted on NCAA.com the week prior to First Round competition.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Track & Field, follow along on Twitter at @TommieXCTF. Follow both programs on Instagram at @tommiewxctf and @tommiemtfxc
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Men's Track & Field
Multis
/ Men's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & FieldPress Conference: Tommie Women's Basketball Head Coach Mandy Pearson
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Postgame: Tommie Women's Basketball, Summit League Semifinals v NDSU
Sunday, March 08
Postgame: Tommie Women's Basketball, Summit League Quarterfinals v ORU
Friday, March 06
