The Northern Sun Conference has announced the 2022 Women's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches' Poll and Upper Iowa was selected 15th for the upcoming spring.
 
Minnesota State University, Mankato, fresh off its first NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championship, was picked to win the NSIC. The Mavericks received all 14 first place votes and tallied 196 points, ranking them ahead of Augustana University and the University of Mary, which tied for second with 176 points. Winona State University was picked fourth with 157 points while the University of Minnesota Duluth rounded out the top five as the Bulldogs garnered 137 points.  

Winona State's Lindsay Cunningham was picked as the preseason track athlete of the year while Concordia University, St. Paul's Arika Robinson was named the preseason field athlete of the year. 

Freshman Maddie Stevens earned the right to be a NSIC Athlete to Watch on the track. Stevens placed sixth in the 400-meter race at the NSIC Indoor Championships in a time of 57.98 seconds and 15th in the 200-meter race in a time of 25.67 seconds, a UIU record, at the championships.
 
"Maddie is looking to build off her strong indoor season as we head into the spring," said Head Coach Nate Rucker. "She has shown tremendous promise as a sprinter and a 400-meter runner during this indoor season. We are looking for outdoor to be a continuation of her successes from the indoor season!"
 
UIU's representative as a NSIC Athlete to Watch in field events is sophomore Kiana Maghanoy. The thrower set personal bests at the Spartan Invitational in late January in the shot put (10.97 meters) and weight throw (11.91 meters) during this past indoor season. She set her top outdoor marks last spring in the discus (37.80 meters) and the hammer throw (36.17 meters).
 
"Kiana has shown tremendous growth as a thrower this past year," said Rucker. "Her best event is the discus, and we are looking for some big things out of her this outdoor season. We are excited to see what she is capable of once she steps into the ring!"
 
Upper Iowa brings a ton of new talent to competitions this spring after placing 14th at the NSIC Indoor Championships last year in Duluth, Minn. Upper Iowa will turn to both Stevens and Maghanoy as leaders, along with several other underclassmen looking to make their mark.
 
"We have a young women's squad this season," said Rucker. "We are excited to watch them as they continue to grow and improve week in and week out. Should make for a fun and exciting outdoor season with these young women!"
 
Upper Iowa will start their 2022 season at Emporia State University from Thursday through Saturday, Mar. 24-26. The 2022 NSIC outdoor track & field will build up to Thursday-Saturday, May 12-14 when the NSIC Championships are held at Swisher Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota, hosted by Northern State University.