BURNSVILLE, MN – If coaches' predictions from around the Northern Sun are accurate, the University of Mary women's and men's track & field teams should be a lot of fun to follow this spring. The Marauders Alexis Zeis and Luxon Glor, the two most impactful competitors at the conference indoor championships in February, are the 2018 NSIC Preseason Women's and Men's Track Athletes of the Year. Additionally the UMary women's team is picked to win the conference championship and the men's team is slated to take second in the 2018 NSIC Coaches Preseason Outdoor Track & Field poll.
 
A three-time NCAA national champion and a 12-time All-American, Zeis is the defending NSIC outdoor champion in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. Last spring she also placed fifth in the country in the 10K run.
 
The senior from Bismarck, ND, most recently led the Marauders to the 2018 NSIC indoor championships and fourth place at the NCAA championships. She was the top point scorer in the NSIC meet after winning the mile, the 3K and the 5K before winning her second straight national title in the 5K and placing second in the 3K. The USTFCCCA Women's Central Region Track Athlete of the Year also led the Marauders to a runner-up finish at the 2017 NCAA cross country championships.
 
A 7-time All-Northern Sun performer, Glor earned 2^nd team All-American honors last spring when he placed 11^th in the country in the long jump. The junior earned his lone All-NSIC outdoor citation when he placed third in the conference championships as a freshman in the 2016.
 
The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native was the men's high-point producer at the 2018 NSIC indoor championships after winning the 60 meter dash, placing second in the 200 meter dash and claiming third in the long jump to help the Marauders finish second overall. Glor also qualified for the 2018 NCAA indoor championships in the 60.
 
The projected NSIC Women's Indoor Track & Field champion, The Marauders received 12 first place votes and tallied 192 points, ranking them ahead of Minnesota State (183) and Augustana (168).  Minnesota State received two first-place votes, while Winona State was picked fourth, received a first place vote and 151 points. Minnesota Duluth is projected fifth, followed by Sioux Falls, Northern State, Concordia-St. Paul, Wayne State, MSU Moorhead, St. Cloud State, Bemidji State, Southwest Minnesota State, Upper Iowa and Minot State.
 
After winning seven Northern Sun women's outdoor championships in their first nine seasons in the league, the Marauders fell just short the last two seasons. Expect UMary to challenge for the title again in 2018 as the Marauders look to build off their conference indoor championship in February and a 4th place finish at the NCAA championships a couple weeks ago.
 
Zeis, a three time national champion, is the defending outdoor champion in both the 10K and 5K. The senior is fresh off winning three titles at the NSIC indoor meet and a national title in the 5K.
 
Freshman D'Andra Morris, the Marauders NSIC Field Athlete to Watch, made an immediate impact on the conference by winning the indoor triple jump title. She also placed in the high jump.  
 
UMary has a deep lineup. All-American Tonie-Ann Pandohie owns the NSIC 100 meter hurdles record but took second to teammate Maria Bolibruch last year and both return for the Marauders. Three members of the Marauders record-setting 4x400 meter relay team from last year - Julia Hammerschmidt, Nelecia Richards and Nicolyn Brown - are back. Other outdoor all-conference returners include Emma Hafdahl (steeple chase) and Bree Erickson (1,500). Additionally Jaiden Schuette and Kaycie Stewart earned all-conference honors indoors in distance events.
 
Continuing to build on the jump the University of Mary men's track & field team made last spring and this winter, the Marauders are projected to finish second in the 2018 Northern Sun outdoor championships. UMary placed third outdoors last spring before taking second at the indoor championships in February.
 
Six-time defending NSIC outdoor champion Minnesota State University, Mankato tops the NSIC preseason men's outdoor track & field coaches' poll. The Mavericks received 10 first place votes and tallied 100 points, ranking them ahead of UMary, which was second with 86 points. Augustana was third with 79 points, Sioux Falls was fourth with 77 points while Minnesota Duluth was fifth, garnering one first place vote. Wayne State was projected sixth, followed by MSU Moorhead, Concordia-St. Paul, Northern State, Southwest Minnesota State and Minot State.
 
Glor, a seven-time all-conference performer, leads the Marauders charge. The high-point individual scorer at the indoor championships a month ago, the junior will be a contender in the 100 and 200 meter runs and the long and triple jumps. He qualified for the 2017 outdoor national championships in the long jump and the 2018 indoor championships in the 60 meter dash.
 
Senior Beau Nutting, UMary's NSIC Field Athlete to Watch in 2018, has become one of the top triple jumpers in the NSIC. He placed at the 2016 indoor championships and the 2017 indoor and outdoor championships in the triple jump before taking second at the 2018 NSIC indoor championships.
 
The Marauders have several others that can challenge for conference titles. Derek Myers (distance), Teegan Olson (middle distance) and Marceau Jovin (hurdles) all earned outdoor All-NSIC honors last spring and this winter at the indoors championships. 
 
The UMary track & field teams are scheduled to open the season at the Southwest Minnesota State Mustang Open in Marshall, MN, on Friday, March 30.
 
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