Catching up with former area athletes: USF's VanDriel leads top shot put throwers in NSIC
Apr. 21—SIOUX FALLS — University of Sioux Falls senior thrower and Scotland High School graduate Delanie VanDriel has hit the NCAA Division II qualifying standard in two events and is the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's leader in the shot put throw. VanDriel posted the NSIC's best shot put throw on April 17 at the Dewey Donat Classic at Northern State University in Aberdeen, winning the event.
Her personal-best throw was 46 feet, 2. 5 inches, which is the conference's best throw by more than a foot. Nationally, it ranks No.
28 this season. The throw also ties VanDriel with teammate Tobi Peterson for the fourth-best throw in USF women's shot put history. VanDriel also reached the NCAA Division II mark in the discus with a personal-best throw of 149 feet, 8 inches at the Minnesota State Stomper Open on April 8 in Mankato, Minnesota.
That mark ranks No. 6 in the NSIC this season. The top-22 individuals in Division II will be selected to the national meet in each event.
The NSIC outdoor championships will be held May 7-9 in Duluth, Minnesota, while the NCAA outdoor nationals will be held May 21-23 in Emporia, Kansas. BROOKINGS — South Dakota State equestrian student-athlete Emma Riggs was honored earlier this month as a member of the 2025-26 Ariat All-America Reining First Team. Awards are presented by the National Collegiate Equestrian Association.