Buell, Lusignan Named Summit Track and Field Athletes of the Year

ELMHURST, IL -- NCAA pole vault champion Bethany Buell of the University of South Dakota and Trent Lusignan of South Dakota State have received post season honors from The Summit League.

Buell has been named the Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year for the second straight season.  The St. Louis native is the first athlete to win the league’s Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year honor twice, and just the second woman in league history to win an Outdoor Athlete of the Year award in back-to-back years.

Buell tied the NCAA Outdoor Championship pole vault record with a mark of 14 feet, 7¼ inches to earn her first national title and second U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association First Team All-America honor.

Lusignan is the first Jackrabbit to be named The Summit League's Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Lusignan swept the 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run titles at The Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships with times of 14:29.42 and 30:10.47, respectively.  The Shakopee, Minn. sophomore's season-best time of 29:40.56 in the 10,000-meters qualified him for the NCAA West Preliminary Round.  He placed 41st with a time of 32:37.44.

Summit League Release