GRAD TRANSFER: Jesse Middendorf to Finish Eligibility at North Dakota

Earlier this week, University of North Dakota distance coach Tom Scott announced via Instagram that middle distance runner Jesse Middendorf will be finishing his eligibility with the Fighting Hawks as a graduate transfer.

Middendorf has proven to be one of the top middle distance runners in all of Division Three. During his time at Concordia-Moorhead, Middendorf secured personal best times of 48.89 (400), 1:51 (800) and 2:27 (1k).

However, it's actually Middendorf's championship experience that makes him such a valuable transfer asset.

The Concordia-Moorhead talent was the 5th place All-American finisher in the 800 meters at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He also qualified for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, a meet that was ultimately cancelled due to the pandemic.

It should also be noted that Middendorf is a seven-time MIAA champion between indoor track and outdoor track.

Coach Scott is well known in the Division Two ranks, once leading the Queens (NC) men and women to grand success in the distance events. His strong resume of athletic development and recruiting wins has seemingly followed him to North Dakota where he has now landed one of the top middle distance runners that D3 has to offer.

The Fighting Hawks will happily welcome a talent like Middendorf to the Summit League, one of the more underrated conferences in the NCAA when it comes to the 800 meters.

This winter, names like Ackeen Colley (Western Illinois), Jacob Rodin (North Dakota State), Richard Brown (Western Illinois) and Riley Bauer (South Dakota State) all ran under the 1:51 barrier for the half-mile event.

With only Colley expected to be out of indoor track eligibility after this season, Middendorf will be tasked with breaking up the upper-portion of the men's 800 meters in the Summit League and attempting to score valuable, must-have points for a North Dakota team that finished last in the conference back in February.