We are in the midst of the conference championships with the majority of the teams competing this past weekend and the rest will finish next week. While many athletes were measuring themselves up against conference rivals, others were hunting the elusive automatic qualifying marks. I will highlight the automatic qualifying marks. As some questions were resolved this weekend, some still remain like will Harding’s Daniel Kirwa get into Nationals without an automatic qualifying mark in the 5k? As usual, let me know if I missed anything. In the spirit of championships, let’s start speculating and give me some of your predictions for the championship races.

CCAA-Chico State claims to have some of the best track fans in the nation. The men’s and women’s track and field team gave them plenty to cheer about this past weekend winning both gender titles. The men’s team won its seventh consecutive title with 290.5 points to finish ahead of second-place UC San Diego, which finished with 140 points. Cal Poly Pomona was third (130).

The women’s team ended the five year reign of UC San Diego. It was a close contest with Chico totaling 212.33 points over UC San Diego’s 209.5 points. Cal State L.A. was third with 101.33 points.

Chico State’s Ryan Bertucci qualified in the high jump with a mark of 2.14m.  Cal St. Stanislaus’s Kasey Bulingham qualified in the Pole Vault with a mark of 5.15m. Cal St. Los Angeles’s Josh Como won the triple jump with a qualifying mark of 16.13m. UC San Diego’s Christine Merrill had a winning weekend, winning and qualifying in 400 meters (54.76),  100 hurdles (13.90) and 400 hurdlers (59.13). Humbolt State’s Megan Rolland won the steeple in a time of 10:38.70.

GLIAC-Ashland (208.50) won the men's team title for the third consecutive year in a close contest with Grand Valley State (197.50). Grand Valley State had a six-point cushion heading into the final completed event, but Ashland picked up 20 points in the men's discus to earn the title. Hillsdale was third with 88 points.

On the women's side, Grand Valley State claimed the league crown for the 11th consecutive year with a GLIAC meet record of 291 points.  Ashland placed second with 146 points and Hillsdale placed third with 136 points.

Hillsdale’s Kayla Caldwell qualified in the pole vault with a mark of 4.00m.

GLVC-The University of Indianapolis claimed both the men's and women's team titles. The men’s team took the title with 230 points ahead of Missouri S&T (196.50) and St. Joseph’s (106.5). This is the men’s first title since 2003.

The women’s team held off indoor champion Lewis. Indianapolis scored 218 points compared to Lewis’s 192.5 points.  Bellarmine was third with 104.5 points.

LONE STAR-Abilene Christian captured its 17th consecutive men’s title with 205 points. Angelo State was second with 195 points and Tarleton was third with 108 points. Abilene Christian’s Amos Sang won four events.

The Angelo State women claimed its second straight and fourth conference title in seven years with 297 points. Abilene Christian was second with 204 points and West Texas A&M was third with 88 points.

The sprinters were out to better their marks. On the women’s side, Abilene Christian’s Wanda Hutson won the 100 meters with a mark of 11.47. Angelo State’s Celethia Byrd won the 200 meter dash in 23.82.  The Angelo State hurdling due of Aisha Adams and Chrystal Ruiz went 1-2 in the 100m hurdles (13.34, 13.63) and 400m hurdles (58.64, 59.19). On the men’s side, Abilene Christian’s Desmond Jackson and Angelo State’s James Howell had two qualifying marks apiece. Jackson won the 100 meters (10.31) and 200 meters (20.84). Howell took second in the 200m (20.93) but took the win in the 400m (46.13).

MIAA-The University of Central Missouri claimed its fifth title with 190 points. Pittsburg State University finished second with 172 points and Emporia State University was third with 141 points.

The Missouri Southern State University team claimed just five individual event victories all weekend but they scored points in all but three of 21 events to claim the title with 151 points. The University of Central Missouri finished second with 117.5 points. Pittsburg State University was third with 113.5 points.

Missouri Southern’s Kimi Shank and Truman’s Dani Dell’Orco battled in both the 5k and 10k with Shank taking both wins. Shank won the 5k with a mark of 16:46.93 followed by Dell’Orco with a 16:51.43. The 10k was closer with Shank winning in a 35:15.46 followed by Dell’Orco with a 35:18.53. Missouri Southern’s Ashley Bunch won the steeplechase in 10:44.64.

NSIC- The Minnesota State men’s team earned 153.50 points to take the title. Minnesota State-Moorhead was second with 118.50 points and St. Cloud State was third with 105 points. The University of Mary took the women’s title with 145 points followed by Winona State with 125.5 points followed by Augustana with 110 points.

Other marks-Alaska Anchorage’s Marko Cheseto broke 14:00 in the 5k with a time of 13:58.85 to automatically qualify at the Oxy Invitational.