Tordsen Wins NAIA National Championship in Discus Throw
History was made for Dakota State on the second day of the 2023 NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships yesterday. DSU recorded the second male individual athlete to win a national championship (Andy Coy in 2012 NAIA Indoor 1000-meter run), and the first male athlete to win a national outdoor track & field title in history.
Three Dakota State athletes were in action on the second day of the NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships on the campus of host-team Indiana Wesleyan University.
Conner Tordsen continued his historic record-breaking season as he became the first ever NAIA Outdoor discus throw national champion in DSU men’s track & field program history. He threw the national winning toss on his very first attempt with a personal national meet best 177 feet, 7 inches.
Tordsen registered 173 feet, 11 inches on his second toss, followed by 165 feet, 11 inches on his third throw. He produced a throw of 165 feet, 11 inches on his third attempt and advanced to the final round.
Tordsen hit 170 feet, 10 inches on his fourth try, 156 feet, 7 inches on his fifth attempt, and 169 feet, 1 inch on his final attempt. He held on to his best attempt from his first throw to win the first national outdoor track national title in program history.
He collected his second NAIA All-America honor in the same national meet for the Trojans. He also claimed his fourth overall All-America award after earning NAIA All-America hammer throw for the second straight season Wednesday.
Cody Farland ran in the 800-meter run semifinals for DSU. He finished fourth in the second heat with a personal record time of 1 minute, 52.43 seconds. His time is the sixth fastest in school history. Farland finished sixth overall in the semifinals and will run in the national 800-meter run Friday afternoon.
Treshawn Roberts began the second day of the decathlon at 13th place in the standings. He kicked off with the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.63 seconds for 775 points. He was the top discus thrower with a toss of 127 feet, 11 inches for 644 points.
He claimed 645 points in the pole vault after clearing the height of 13 feet, 5.5 inches, rising to seventh place in the decathlon standings.
Roberts remained seventh in the standings after recording 580 points with 162 feet, 2 inches. He was unable to finish the last decathlon event of the 1500-meter run due to an injury. He finished 14th overall with 5,948 total points in his second NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships decathlon appearance.
The Trojans are fourth in the men’s team standings with 15 points scored after Day 2 of the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. British Columbia maintains their lead with 31 points, followed by Midland second with 18.25 points, and Carroll third with 16 points.
Dakota State wraps up the national meet Friday with a pair of athletes in the national finals. Tordsen competes in the shot put at 2pm, while Farland prepares for the 800-meter run at 3pm.
