The Northern Sun Conference has released the 2022 Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches' Poll and Upper Iowa was picked 12th for the upcoming season.
 
The nine-time defending NSIC Champions of Minnesota State University, Mankato were picked to win the NSIC earning 11 first-place votes and grabbing 121 points. The Mavericks are ranked ahead of Augustana University, which was second with 110 points and the other first place vote. Minnesota State University Moorhead was third with 92 points, University of Mary was fourth with 88 points while Concordia University, St. Paul was fifth with 80 points.

MSU Moorhead's Nadir Yusuf was voted by the coaches as preseason outdoor track athlete of the year while Augustana's Tyl Woelber was named the preseason field athlete of the year for the second straight season.  
 
Teddy Ayden was named a NSIC Athlete to Watch in track for UIU. The sophomore placed third in the 200-meter at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in a time of 21.49 seconds last season and ran the second-fastest prelim time in the 100-meter race at the championships with a time of 10.95 seconds.
 
"We are looking for Teddy to make big strides during his second outdoor season," said Head Coach Nate Rucker. "I know as a coaching staff we are excited to get him outside. We feel he is developing well and is poised to have a big season outdoor!"
 
Junior Jaylen Hobson earned the honor of UIU's NSIC Athlete to Watch in the field. The jumper placed third in the triple jump at the NSIC Outdoor Championships with a leap of 14.53 meters. He also placed 11th in the long jump at the championships with a jump of 6.68 meters.
 
"Jaylen is looking to have a strong outdoor campaign," said Rucker. "He had a solid indoor season even though he had dealt with some injuries. We are expecting a strong showing from him this outdoor season. Jaylen is hoping to build off of his outdoor successes from last season!"

Upper Iowa placed 11th with 22 points at the 2021 NSIC Outdoor Championships in Duluth, Minn. Teddy Ayden and Jaylen Hobson combined for 12 of the team's 22 points at last year's NSIC Championships with a pair of third-place finishes in the 200-meter and triple jump events, respectively. The team will look for great springs from Ayden and Hobson, as well as Kaitano Bateman, Nathan Goranson and more coming out of the indoor season.
 
"We are looking forward to getting to outdoor," said Rucker. "We are still a young program with a lot to improve upon from this past indoor season. We are making strides every day and every week to put us in a good position for the end of the year."
 
UIU opens their competition schedule at Emporia State University next Thursday through Saturday, Mar. 24-26. The 2022 NSIC outdoor track & field season will culminate on Thursday-Saturday, May 12-14 at the NSIC Championships held at Swisher Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota; hosted by Northern State University.