Catching Up: A Look at Former Area Athletes

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The South Dakota State University track and field team competed at the Summit League Track and Field Outdoor Championships last week in Sioux Falls.

A number of former area prep standouts performed for the Jackrabbits.

Michelle Schuch, a Tyndall native, finished second in the women’s discus throw for the Jackrabbits. She had a mark of 153-feet-10, which was second behind SDSU’s Brooke Garner, who tossed for a mark of 166-feet-2.

Schuch also took fourth in the women’s hammer throw competition. She had a mark of 174-feet.

Luke Leischner, a Parkston High School graduate, finished third in the men’s 200-meter dash in a time of 21.50 seconds. Leischner also was a third-place finisher in the men’s 400 in a time of 47.86 seconds.

Leischner also anchored the SDSU men’s 1,600-meter relay team to a second-place finish. The team finished in a time of 3 minutes, 16.01 seconds.

Chamberlain native Brandon Priebe finished third in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 54.45 seconds for the Jackrabbits.

SDSU freshman Drew Kraft, a former Wessington Springs standout, took seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Kraft finished the race in a time of 9:49.95.

Shelby Assmus, a Stickney native, took third in the women’s shot put competition. She is a freshman for the Jackrabbits and threw for a mark of 45-5 ¼.

Black Hills State University freshman Mitch Kraft, the twin brother of SDSU’s Drew Kraft, took second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Dakota Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships on Friday in Spearfish.

Mitch Kraft finished the race in a time of 9:33.98.

Alexandria native Tyson Gau earned the victory on the mound for fifth-seeded Augustana in the opening round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball tournament last week in Mankato, Minn.

Gau, a sophomore for Augustana, started and threw five innings to help the Vikings beat second-seeded St. Cloud State (Minn.) 5-4. Gau allowed two earned runs on six hits and struck out five.

Gau did not pitch again in the NSIC Tournament, which the Vikings finished 2-2. Gau has a 7-3 record this season.

Augustana (30-22) earned a No. 6 seed and will make its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament beginning today. The Vikings play top-seeded St. Cloud State at 7 p.m. today in St. Cloud, Minn. in the opening round of the Central Region Tournament.

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