FARGO — North Dakota State director of track and field and cross country Stevie Keller announced the addition of three women’s athletes to the 2021 recruiting class on Monday.

Taia Rude, a multi-event athlete from Brandon, S.D.; Lanie Awender, a sprinter from Oakes, N.D.; and Kaitlyn Schuur, a pole vaulter from Chandler, Minn., each announced their intentions to attend NDSU and compete for the Bison.

Rude (Brandon Valley HS) already owns personal-bests of 5 feet, 6 inches in the high jump and 45.40 in the 300-meter hurdles, despite her junior season being canceled due to COVID-19. She placed 3rd at the South Dakota Class AA state meet in the high jump as both a freshman and sophomore, and ran on state title-winning 4×200-meter relays both years. Rude finished fifth in the 300-meter hurdles at the 2019 Howard Wood Dakota Relays — the top-placing underclassman.

Awender (Oakes HS) claimed North Dakota Class B state titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter as a sophomore in 2019. She took third in both events as a freshman in 2018, and now holds personal bests of 12.33 in the 100-meter and 25.85 in the 200-meter entering her senior season.

Schuur (Southwest Christian HS) took third place at the Minnesota state track and field meet in the pole vault as a sophomore in 2019, clearing 11 feet. The NDSU women’s track and field team has won 25 straight Summit League team titles — 13 indoor and 12 outdoor — since joining the league in 2008.