Coach Lynne Dingman's signing class for 2023-24 increases to 35

ABERDEEN — Northern State University's Lynne Dingman, the director of track and field and cross country and the head track and field coach, has announced the addition of 22 student-athletes for the 2023-24 season.

The group brings the total signing class to 35.

It includes South Dakota standouts Carson Barnett, Ricky Berndt, Gracie Eisenbraun, Danielle Hawley, Emma Hunt, Brian Johnson, Jayden Munroe, Logan Permann, Damon Roggenbuck, Treyon Schulz, Julian Scott, Kaden St. Pierre, Adisen Stadem, Turner Thorson and Sheridan Winter; North Dakotans Dalton Fleckenstein, Levi Reis and Kaiden Richter; Rebekah Walz of Minnesota; Richard Prescott of Wyoming; and Elísabet Ósk Jónsdóttir and Birnir Vagn Finnsson of Iceland.

They will join fall additions Olivia Ashley (Rapid City), Paige Bishop (Hillsboro, N.D.), Carter Dingman (Aberdeen), Tayla Dobrenski (Brookings), Jolie Dugan (Draper), Elle Fahrendorf (Moorhead, Minn.), Drew Henriksen (Bismarck, N.D.), Karli Klein (Garrison, N.D.), Ross Kortenbusch (Vining, Minn.), Avery Miles (Turton), Tayven Peterson (Mora, Minn.), Drew Salfrank (Aberdeen), and Jordan West (Thompson, N.D.).

Carson Barnett – Throws, Harrisburg

Barnett is a thrower out of Harrisburg High School. Barnett is a 2-time South Dakota State Champion and State record holder in the javelin, throwing 183-6. He is the reigning ESD Champion in the event as well. He is the son of NSU alumni Shawn and Alicia Barnett and brother to current student-athlete Ethan Barnett. He will also compete in football at Northern State.

Ricky Berndt - Mid-Distance, Brandt

Berndt is a mid-distance runner out of Deuel High School. On the track in 2023, he placed fifth in the 800 (1:57.61), fifth in the 1600 meters (4:25.52) and anchored the medley relay team to a 2nd place finish at the South Dakota State Track meet. In addition, Berndt is a 5-time state qualifier in cross country, placing 12th at the South Dakota State Cross Country Meet in 2022. He holds the Duel High School record in the 800m with a time of 1:57.61.

Gracie Eisenbraun – Pole Vault, Kadoka

Eisenbraun is a pole vaulter out of Kadoka Area High School. She is a 4-year letter winner for the Kougars under the direction of head coach Dave Ohrtman. Eisenbraun is a 2-time conference and region champion, and 3-time state qualifier. In the spring of 2022, she finished as the South Dakota State Runner-up in the pole vault and in 2023 she was the South Dakota State Champion clearing ten feet even. Eisenbraun holds the Kadoka school record in the pole vault with her 10-foot leap. She is the daughter of Chad and Dana Eisenbraun.

Dalton Fleckenstein – Distance, Bismarck, N.D.

Fleckenstein is a distance runner out of Legacy High School. He is a 4-year letter winner for the Sabers under the direction of head coach Jake Leingang. Fleckenstein qualified for the state meet in 2023 and his 4X800 team placed sixth. He also ran his fastest times at the state meet in 2023 with a 1:58.23 in the 800 and a 4:24.52 in the 1600. He is also a 2022 all-conference honoree. He placed 17th at the 2022 State Cross Country meet and holds a personal best of 16:35. He is the son of Steven and Heather Fleckenstein.

Danielle Hawley – Throws, Estelline

Hawley is a thrower out of Estelline High School. She is a 3-year letter winner for the Redhawks under the direction of head coach Jim Rieger. Hawley holds personal bests of 40-10.75 in the shot put and 110-4 in the discus. In 2022, she won the region and DVC Championship in the shot put and was crowned the South Dakota State Champion in the event. In addition, Hawley placed ninth in the discus at the state meet. She is the daughter of Dan Hawley and Kelli Brown.

Emma Hunt – Sprints-Hurdles, Murdo

Hunt is a sprinter-hurdler out of Jones County High School. She is a 4-year letter winner for the Coyotes under the direction of head coach Jane Daum. Hunt is the Jones County school record holder in the 300m hurdles, breaking it in each of her seasons competing since seventh grade. Her 4x400 relay team placed fourth at the South Dakota State meet in 2023. She won the WGPC Championship in the 300m hurdles in 2022 and placed eighth at the South Dakota State Meet. She also ran on the conference championship 4x200m relay. She is the daughter of David and Katie Hunt.

Brian Johnson – Throws, Aberdeen

Johnson is a thrower out of Aberdeen Central High School. Brain qualified for the South State Track meet in both the shot put and discus. In 2022, he placed fifth in the discus and holds a personal best of 156’8. He is the son of Serriah Stroud and will also compete in football at Northern State.

Jayden Munroe – Jumps, Nassau, Bahamas

Munroe competed three prep seasons with Aberdeen Roncalli and head coach Brady Lesnar. Munroe holds personal bests of 22-05 in the long jump, 45-01.5 in the triple jump, and 22.50 in the 200m. He won the South Dakota State Championship in the long jump and triple jump in 2023. He is the son of Maedawn and Manika Munroe.

Elísabet Ósk Jónsdóttir – Sprints, Kópavogur, Iceland

Ósk Jónsdóttir is a sprinter out of Kópavogur, Iceland. She holds personal bests of 8.18 in the 60m, 26.67 in the 200m, and 61.98 in the 400m. Ósk Jónsdóttir was honored with the 2023 Breiðablik Progress Award. She is the daughter of Laufey Karlsdóttir and Jón Bjarni Bragason.

Logan Permann – Sprints, Warner

Permann is a sprinter out of Warner High School. He is a 3-year letter winner for the Monarchs, competing in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x200m relay. Permann holds personal bests of 11.20 in the 100m and 23.40 in the 200m. He is the son of Katie Kroger.

Richard Prescott – Hurdles-Jumps, Cheyenne, Wyo.

Prescott competes in the hurdle and jump events out of Cheyenne Central. He was runner-up at the Wyoming State Championship in the triple jump with a 45-8 mark. In addition, Prescott is an 8-time top-5 finisher at the state meet in the long jump with a personal best of 21-9.25, 300m hurdles with a time of 39.34, and 110m hurdles with a time of 14.96. Cheyenne Central took second at the Wyoming State Meet in the spring of 2022. He is the son of Steve and Stephanie Prescott and will also compete on the football team at Northern State.

Levi Reis – Throws, Ellendale, N.D.

Reis is a thrower out of Ellendale High School. He is a 4-year letter winner for the Cardinals under the direction of head coach Richard Reis. Reis won the 2022 and 2023 North Dakota State B Championship in the javelin. He holds a personal best throw of 182-7. He is the son of Nicole and Richard Reis.

Kaiden Richter – Jumps-Sprints, Dickinson, N.D.

Richter is a jumper-sprinter out of Dickinson High School. He is a 3-year starter for the Midgets under the direction of head coach Dakota Hayes. He is a state meet qualifier and holds a personal best of 20-8.5 in the long jump and 23.68 in the 200m. His 4x200 relay also placed fifth at the North Dakota State Meet

Damon Roggenbuck – Sprints-Throws, Sioux Falls

Roggenbuck is a sprinter and javelin thrower out of Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School. He was a letter winner for the Rough Riders under the direction of head coach Casey Shade. Roggenbuck holds a personal best of 173’2” in the javelin, placing fourth in 2022 and third in 2023 at the South Dakota State Meet. In addition, he is a 4x100m state champion, racing to a school record and the fourth fastest time in South Dakota High School history. He is the son of Annie and Scott Roggenbuck.

Treyson Schulz – Jumps-Sprints, Mitchell

Schulz is a sprinter-jumper out of Mitchell High School. He is a 3-year letter winner for the Kernels under the direction of head coach Debra Thill. Schulz is a 6-time state qualifier, taking seventh in the long jump a season ago. He also placed sixth in long jump and sixth in the triple jump at the South Dakota State Meet in the 2023 season. He holds personal bests of 21-8 in the long jump and 42-8 in the triple jump. He is the son of Tyson and Lisa Schulz.

Kaden St. Pierre – Throws, Hayti

St. Pierre is a thrower out of Hamlin High School. He is a 4-year letter winner for the Chargers under the direction of head coach Dan Poppen. St. Pierre won NEC and LLC Championships in the spring of 2022 and placed eighth at the South Dakota State meet in the discus and finished seventh in the disc at the State Meet in 2023. He is the son of Jared St. Pierre.

Adisen Stadem – Distance, Dell Rapids

Stadem is a distance runner out of Dell Rapids High School. She is a 6-year letter winner for the Quarriers under the direction of head coach Eric Koithan. Stadium is a 5-time DAK XII All-Conference honoree and 2-time state qualifier in cross country and track and field. In addition, she earned Academic All-State recognition as a member of the cross country team. She is the daughter of Sara Stadem.

Turner Thorson – Mid-Distance, Mina

Thorson is a middle-distance runner out of Ipswich High School. He is a 12-year letter winner for the Tigers under the direction of head coach Todd Thorson. He holds personal bests of 23.64 in the 200m, 52.04 in the 400m. Thorson is an Academic All-State recipient and a member of the South Dakota State B Championship team. He is the son of Tadd and Heather Thorson.

Julian Scott – Sprints, Rapid City

Scott is a sprinter out of Stevens High School. He holds personal bests of 10.77 in the 100m and 22.73 in the 200m. Scott is a 3-time place winner at the state meet taking fifth in the 100, eighth in the 4x100m relay, and eighth in the 4x200m relay. In addition, Stevens took second at the South Dakota State Meet in the spring of 2022. He is the son of Michael Scott and Jamie Tullo-Scott and will join the Northern State football program this fall.

Birnir Vagn Finnsson – Multi, Akureyri, Iceland

Vagn Finnsson is a multi-event competitor from Iceland. Vagn Finnsson is a member of the Ungmennafélag Akureyrar club, competing for nine seasons. He was named the male athlete of the year and holds a personal best of 6,255 points in the decathlon. His event personal bests include 11.23 in the 100m, 7.06 in the 60m, 15.62 in the 110m hurdles, 8.56 in the 60m hurdles, 52.26 in the 400m, 6.79m in the long jump, 1.91m in the high jump, 3.40m in the pole vault, 45.65m in the javelin, 34.88m in the discus, 10.65m in the shot put, 5:08.38 in the 1500m, and 59.71 in the 400m hurdles. He is the son of Finnur Friðriksson and Kristín Sóley Björnsdóttir.

Rebekah Walz – Pole Vault, Paynesville, Minn.

Walz is a pole vaulter out of Paynesville Area High School. She is a 4-year letter winner for the Bulldogs under the direction of head coach Colin Wolf. Walz is a 3-time champion in the pole vault winning the True Team State event, Section 5A meet, and Section 5A Sub-Section 20 meet in 2021. In addition, she placed sixth at the Minnesota State Meet and is an academic all-state honoree. Walz holds a personal best of 10-7 in the pole vault. She placed seventh at the 2023 Minnesota State meet. She is the daughter of Ron and Rachel Walz.

Sheridyn Winter – Distance, Sioux Falls

Winter is a distance runner set to compete in track and field and cross country out of Roosevelt High School. She is a 4-year letter winner for the Rough Riders under the direction of head coach Casey Shade. Winter finished in the top-25 at the South Dakota State Cross Country Meet in 2019 and holds a personal best of 19:28.2. On the track, she holds personal bests of 2:27.10 in the 800m and 1:00.67 in the 400m. In the spring of 2023, Winter placed eighth in the 4x400m relay and sixth 4x800 relay at the South Dakota State Track and Field Meet. She is the daughter of Mike and Jessie Winter.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Twenty-two new additions to join Northern State track, cross country