ELMHURST, Ill. – The North Dakota State women’s track and field team was unanimously selected to win its fifth straight Summit League indoor track and field title in the 2012 preseason poll in a vote of the league’s head coaches.

The Bison topped the preseason poll with 64 points and all eight possible first place votes. Last year’s runner-up, Southern Utah, was picked second with 55 points. South Dakota State was selected third with 45 points, while Oral Roberts was only two votes back at 43 points for fourth. League newcomer South Dakota was picked fifth with 39 points. UMKC, Oakland, Western Illinois and IPFW rounded out the poll.

The Bison are led by 13th year head coach Ryun Godfrey, the reigning league coach of the year. The team returns six league champions including  Leslie Brost (pole vault) 

2009-10 SEASON

Indoor (Sophomore): Competed in the pole vault in eight meets…Won the Bison Open after clearing 12-7 ½…Set a new NDSU record at the Last Chance Qualifier with a mark of 13-10 ½….Advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second straight year…Finished 17^th at the NCAA Championships with a mark of 13-5 ¼.

Outdoor (Sophomore): Took first in the pole vault in five of the eight meets she competed in…Broke her own school record at the Mt. SAC Relays after clearing 14-1 ¼, becoming the first Bison to ever clear the 14-foot barrier…Won her second straight Summit League title with a championship record mark of 13-5 ¼…Just missed out on a spot in the NCAA Championships after placing 13^th at the NCAA West Preliminary Round with a mark of 13-7 ¼.

2008-09 SEASON

Indoor (Freshman): Set a school record of 13-5 ¼ in the pole vault at the Bison Classic, her first collegiate meet (1/17)… Won the pole vault at three meets…Finished second in the event at the Summit League Championships (2/27)…Broke her own school record at the Last Chance Qualifier, clearing 13-9 ¼ (3/7)…Came in 11th at the NCAA Championships with a mark of 13-3 ½ (3/14).

Outdoor (Freshman): Set a school record of 12-7 1/2 in the pole vault at the season-opening Baldy Castillo Invitational (3/20)…Went on to break her own school record three more times…Captured pole vault titles at five meets…Cleared school record height of 13-9 ¼ in a second place finish at the Drake Relays (4/23)…Set a meet record of 13-7 ¼ at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays (5/1)…Won the event at the Summit League Championships with a championship record mark of 13-1 ½ (5/14)…Finished fourth at the NCAA Midwest Regionaln (5/29)…Tied for 13th in the prelims at the NCAA Championships before finishing 12th at the NCAA Championships (6/10).

High School: Five-year letterwinner at Watertown High School…Won three straight state pole vault titles…Named 2007 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year…Holds the school and state record in the pole vault…Also holds the school triple jump record…Member of back-to-back state champion 4×400 relays in 2007 and 2008, also member of 4×200 state championship relay in 2008…Team MVP for field events from 2006-08…Also a six-year letterwinner in gymnastics, where she was a three-time all-tournament selection and helped team to 2006 state title…Competed at the IAAF Junior World Championships where she finished eighth.

Personal: Daughter of Bryan and Teri Brost…Born on Sept. 28, 1989…Has five siblings: Wendy, Shelly, Ashley Ally and Tommy…Shelly competed in gymnastics for the Air Force Academy…Planning a major in exercise science.