Three National Titles for CCC Athletes on Day One of NAIA Championships
GULF SHORES, Ala. – (RESULTS) The opening day of the 2016 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships crowned eight individual national champions, each from different institutions, on Thursday. The list included a back-to-back winner in the men’s 10,000 meter run, the first-ever national champion for Evergreen State (Wash.) and the first throws national titlist for Carroll (Mont.). In addition, senior Liz King of Concordia (Neb.) won her second career national championship (one in hammer, one in javelin).
A late comer to the college athletic scene, Evergreen State’s Zebuliah Hoffman entered the weekend as the hammer throw national leader and held serve by recording a mark of 197’ 9 ½” on his way to placing above three contenders from Concordia. Then in the men’s javelin, David Barnett, seeded second in the NAIA, rose to the top of the heap with his toss of 204’ 6 ¼” for the first throwing title in Carroll’s history.
One of the biggest upsets of the opening day came in the women’s pole vault. Ranked 12th nationally, Talitha Fagen of Eastern Oregon went nearly a full foot higher than her previous best in claiming a national title with a clearance of 12’ 9 ½.”
The only running events scored on Thursday were the 10,000 meter races that concluded the first day’s action. Jessa Perkinson of Southern Oregon won the race on the women’s side.
King and a strong group of throwers have the Bulldogs out in the lead on both sides. Concordia, the defending outdoor national champion on the men’s side, has totaled 22 men’s points and 32 women’s points through one day of the three-day meet. The bulk of the running tallies will be divvied out over the remainder of the championships.
Geoff Kipchumba of William Carey (Miss.) continued his impressive senior campaign, which includes a 2015 cross country national title, by winning the 10,000 meter race for the second-straight year. Kipchumba, the USTFCCCA South Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, capped the day’s events with his victory.
Sophomore Jonina Brinson of Mobile (Ala.) has swept indoor and outdoor national titles in the long jump. She leapt 19’ 2 ¾” on Thursday to take the top spot once again.
Going for his third-straight national title in the decathlon, Doane’s (Neb.) Kale Wolken owns a significant lead after totaling 4,003 points through day one. He won the 100 meter, long jump and shot put portions of the decathlon. The meet record in the decathlon is 7,818 points. The battle atop the women’s heptathlon is much closer as Becky Collier of Westmont (Calif.) leads Tyanna Petty of Rio Grande (Ohio), 3,006 – 2,903.
Following Concordia in team scoring on the men’s side are William Carey, Evergreen State and Carroll, each tied for second with 10 points apiece. On the women’s side, Siena Heights (Mich.) sits second with 15 points. Five teams are tied for third.
The 65th annual men’s event and 36th annual women’s event will pick back up on Friday with the decathlon at 10 a.m. CDT and the heptathlon at 10:30 a.m. Field events begin at 1 p.m. and running events get kick started at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday (May 26) national champions
Men’s 10,000 meters – Geoff Kipchumba, William Carey (Miss.)
Women’s 10,000 meters – Jessa Perkinson, Southern Oregon
Men’s hammer throw – Zebuliah Hoffman, Evergreen State (Wash.)
Women’s hammer throw – Liz King, Concordia (Neb.)
Men’s javelin – David Barnett, Carroll (Mont.)
Women’s javelin – Seri Geisler, Valley City State (N.D.)
Women’s long jump – Jonina Brinson, Mobile (Ala.)
Women’s pole vault – Talitha Fagen, Eastern Oregon