MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State men's track and field team looks to surprise its conference rivals this season as the Beavers were tabbed as underdogs and picked 11^th in the 2025-26 NSIC Men's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches' Poll released today.

Minot State senior Peyton Tuhy and sophomore Ethan Graham also were recognized as the track and field athletes to watch this season for the Beavers, as the NSIC named Preseason Athletes of the Year and highlighted a track and a field student-athlete from each team as athletes to watch.

"The men's team has a nice balance of experience and exciting new talent; it will be fun to watch this team progress throughout the season, and if we can reach the potential of the talent on this team, it will be very interesting to see what we can accomplish," Minot State head coach Jordan Aus said.

Minot State received 21 points in the preseason poll.

Fourteen-time NSIC champion Minnesota State was picked to win a 15^th title with 11 first-place votes and 121 points, with Mary 2^nd with 106 points, and Augustana picked 3^rd with one first-place vote and 101 points.

Minnesota State Moorhead was picked 4^th with 95 points, Northern State 5^th with 79 points, Sioux Falls 6^th with 68 points, Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth tied for 7^th with 59 points each, Wayne State was 9^th with 42 points, Southwest Minnesota State was 10^th with 27 points, Minot State was 11^th with 21 points, and Jamestown 12^th with 16 points.

Minnesota State Moorhead junior Jared Gregoire, a 2023 NCAA Outdoor All-American in the 1,500 meters, was named the NSIC Preseason Track Athlete of the Year, while Minnesota State sophomore Sheldon McNicholas, an All-American in 2024 in the indoor triple jump, was named the NSIC Preseason Field Athlete of the Year.

Tuhy, a senior middle-distance runner from Hettinger, North Dakota, holds the No. 2 time in Minot State's NCAA-era in both the indoor 800 meters (1:56.39) and 1,000 (2:31.88), and was 5^th in the 800 at the NSIC Outdoor Championships last spring in 1:53.46.

"Peyton is coming off a very strong outdoor and cross-country season," Aus said. "He is positioning himself to have an excellent senior track season and should be in a position to be very competitive in the middle-distance events at the conference level."

Graham, a sophomore from Raleigh, North Carolina who also plays football for the Beavers, was 21^st in the shot put with a throw of 48-7.5, and 24^th in the discus with a mark of 110-1, at the NSIC Outdoor meet last spring.

"Ethan is our top male returner in the throws and should be a leader for that group," Aus said. "Ethan will be a leader for us in the throws, and he will look to compete for a place in the finals of the shot put this indoor season at the conference level."

The Minot State men's track and field team opens the season this Saturday at the Mike Thorson Open hosted by the University of Mary. The NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championships will be hosted by Minnesota State, Mankato, on February 28 and March 1.
 

2025-26 NSIC Men's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches' Poll

RANK	TEAM	POINTS
1	Minnesota State (11)	121
2	Mary	106
3	Augustana (1)	101
4	Minnesota State Moorhead	95
5	Northern State	79
6	Sioux Falls	68
t7	Concordia-St. Paul	59
t7	Minnesota Duluth	59
9	Wayne State	42
10	Southwest Minnesota State	27
11	Minot State	21
12	Jamestown	16