BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Star Athletic Association announced their seventh and final edition of the 2024-25 Women’s and Men’s Indoor Track & Field Athletes-of-the-Week Tuesday. Karly Just of Valley City State (N.D.) was named the Women’s Track Athlete-of-the-Week. Bella Maxwell of Dakota State (S.D.) was selected as the Women’s Field Athlete-of-the-Week. Dakota State swept the men’s weekly honors as Tysen Grinde was named the Field Athlete-of-the-Week, while his teammate Chantz Minear was chosen as the Track Athlete-of-the-Week.

North Star Athletic Association Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Karly Just – Valley City State (N.D.) – Junior – Berlin, N.D. – Just broke a pair of school records for Valley City State (N.D.) at the NCAA Division I Meet, the North Dakota Bison Open. She had a strong finish in the 3000-meter run, earning fifth place with a time of 10 minutes, 36.41 seconds. She broke a 26-year-old school record and improved her 3000-meters time by over 20 seconds from earlier this season. Just also broke the school record in the 1-mile run with a time of 5 minutes, 25.26 seconds.

North Star Athletic Association Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Bella Maxwell – Dakota State (S.D.) – Junior – Madison, S.D. – Maxwell threw the second furthest weight throw toss in Dakota State’s (S.D.) school history in the Mount Marty (S.D.) Last Chance meet.  She won the weight throw title with a career best 16.13 meters (52 feet, 11 inches) on her fifth attempt.  Maxwell also placed third in the shot put with 12.14 meters mark (39 feet, 10 inches), which is the ninth farthest in Dakota State school history.

North Star Athletic Association Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Tysen Grinde – Dakota State (S.D.) – Sophomore – Spring Grove, Minn. – Grinde won the NCAA Division I North Dakota State Bison Open heptathlon with a career best 4,700 points for Dakota State (S.D.). His score is the fifth best score in school history and is currently ranked No. 13 in the NAIA indoor heptathlon. Grinde also produced personal records during the heptathlon events, including the pole vault, the high jump, and the 60-meter hurdles. He also had hit the NAIA ‘B’ provisional qualifying standards in the high jump of 2.04 meters (6 feet, 8.25 inches).

North Star Athletic Association Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Chantz Minear – Dakota State (S.D.) – Senior – Des Moines, Iowa – Minear produced a pair of NAIA ‘A’ automatic qualifying time at the NCAA Division I Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, hosted by the University of Nebraska.  He clocked a time of 7.97 seconds in the prelims, the third fastest time in the prelims and advanced to the finals. Minear improved his time to 7.92 seconds in the finals, finishing as a runner-up. His time was his second fastest time of his career, just off his 7.89 seconds school record. Minear also anchored the 4 x 400-meter relay team to the second fastest time in school history, clocking a time of 3 minutes, 21.69 seconds.

Looking Ahead
The 2025 North Star Athletic Association Indoor Track & Field Championships take place Sunday at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, S.D.  The competing schools include Bellevue (Neb.), Dakota State (S.D.), Dickinson State (N.D.), Jamestown (N.D.), and Valley City State (N.D.). The first events are set for 10 a.m. with the field events and the running events start at 11 a.m.

                    Sunday’s Meet
                    Bellevue (Neb.), Dakota State (S.D.), Dickinson State (N.D.), Jamestown (N.D.), and Valley City State (N.D.)
                                @ North Star Athletic Association Indoor Track & Field Championships – Brookings, S.D. – 10 a.m.