Findlay Collects Multiple All-American Honors on Day 1 at Outdoor National Championship
Pueblo, Colo. – University of Findlay men's and women's track and field teams participated on the first of three days at the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship which is being held in Pueblo, Colorado at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl.
Continuing a breakout season for Findlay, junior Orry Willems can now call himself a first team all-American after another solid performance in the hammer throw. Willems' third throw would be his longest as it sailed a distance of 62.72m (205'9") which was good for fifth place. It is the eighth time in the last decade that the Oilers have had an all-American in the men's hammer throw.
Also picking up first team all-American status with a podium finish is junior Eliot Cummings who finished seventh in the men's long jump. Cummings' best attempt came on his final jump when he distanced 7.68m (25'2.5"). That distance is a personal best for Cummings and also breaks the Oilers' outdoor long jump record, a record set in 1996 by Andre' Eley.
Adding to what has been an outstanding sophomore season, Trista Fintel took part in the women's hammer throw and narrowly missed the podium, finishing in ninth with a throw of 56.88m (186'7"). That effort gives her second team all-American status in the event.
The final event of the night was the most grueling event of the week, the men's 10,000m run. Shortly after the race began, a pair of runners separated themselves from the pack, leaving the bulk of the field behind. In that second pack, junior Noa Fisher helped control the pace and was in third place with two laps remaining. He would slide into tenth by the end of the race, clocking in a time of 30:33.42. That time gives him second team all-American status, making him the first men's 10k all-American in program history.
Sophomore Kylie Ray participated in the prelims of the 400m hurdles and, after winning her heat, has qualified for the event finals which will be held on Saturday night. Ray crossed the line in a time of 59.72 seconds which was fifth-best in the prelims.
Participating in his first national championship meet, junior Alex Mutchler participated in the men's pole vault. He cleared a height 4.90m (16'0.75") which earned him a 15th place finish.
Junior Josh Verhoff got his meet started with a start in the second heat of the men's 100m dash. Verhoff finished in fourth in his heat and 15th overall as he clocked a time of 10.51 seconds, missing out on a trip to the event finals by just .09 seconds.