Top Performers From The Division II And Division III National Championships
Top Performers From The Division II And Division III National Championships
The DII and DIII meets saw numerous records fall, a 3:55 split in the distance medley relay, and a woman winning a team championship — by herself.
The 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships occupied much of the headlines this past weekend with world, American and collegiate records falling by the wayside in College Station, Texas.
But there were NCAA championships contested at the Division II and Division III level as well last week that produced some compelling results. Numerous DII and DIII records were set, someone split 3:55 in the distance medley relay, and a woman won a team championship — by herself.
Here are some of the standout performers.
Wadeline Jonathas
Jonathas single-handedly won the DIII team title for UMass Boston. Jonathas won the 60m, 200m, 400m, and the long jump at the DIII national championships in Birmingham, Alabama. She broke the DIII records in the 60m (7.40) and 200m (23.90) and set the meet record in 400m (54.28). In total, Jonathas scored 40 points by herself. UMass Boston won the meet with 46 points — the second-place team from Williams scored 37.
To cap it off, Jonathas is only a sophomore, so she'll have two more chances to see if she can win another team title.
? WADELINE JONATHAS WATCH ?
— USTFCCCA (@USTFCCCA) March 10, 2018
How is THIS for company.
The @UMassBeacons star joins Jesse Owens and Sheila Price as the only athletes to win four #NCAATF titles at a single meet, indoors or outdoors. #D3TF
Mobolade Ajomale
The Canadian star added to his list of championships over the weekend in Pittsburg, Kansas. Ajomale, a junior at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, has only lost one race in 2018 and that was to the professional sprinter Mike Berry. At the DII championships, Ajomale won the 60m in 6.60 and the 200m in 20.91. Neither was a personal best, but both were enough to take the victory.
Bolade Ajomale (@BoladeA) pulls off the 60m/200m double at #NCAATF D II Champs! ?????? pic.twitter.com/4nVGZbmobK
— Athletics Canada (@AthleticsCanada) March 11, 2018
Myles Pringle
Pringle came up short against Ajomale in the 200m, but the 400m specialist was the best he’s ever been in his preferred event. Pringle ran a DII record of 45.93 to defend his 400m title. The junior from Ohio’s Ashland University is the first DII athlete to go under the 46-second barrier.
Sydney Gidabuday
The junior from Adams State doubled up in the 3000m and 5000m, setting facility records in both distances. On Friday evening Gidabuday ran 13:56.99 to win by over three seconds. The next day, he came back and won a very competitive 3000m in 8:01.26, also a facility record.
Sydney 'The G.O.A.T' Gidabuday with the close finish for his sixth individual national title in track and field! pic.twitter.com/OuDfT78dSB
— ASU Grizzlies (@ASUGrizzlies) March 11, 2018
David Ribich
Ribich finished third to Gidabuday and Nehemia Too in the 3000m, but the night before in the 3000m Ribich turned in a sensational performance for Western Oregon in the distance medley relay. After receiving the baton with a deficit, Ribich passed “more than a half of a dozen” teams in his 1600m leg. His split was reportedly 3:55 as his team defended their DMR title from 2017.
Katherine Pitman
Pitman, a senior at Ithaca College, pole vaulted 4.28m to win the DIII title. The mark was a DIII record and over 30 centimeters higher than her next closest competitor; it would have placed her 10th at the NCAA DI meet.
#d3tf champion Katherine Pitman set a national record in the pole vault with a mark of 4.28 meters! @BomberSports pic.twitter.com/5mXfjurcF7
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) March 9, 2018
Jeremy Hernandez
Earlier this season Hernandez ran 3:59.10 to set the DIII record in the mile. He didn’t run that fast at the championship meet, but the senior from Ramapo College in New Jersey comfortably took home the title. How comfortably? Hernandez led by about nine seconds at the bell and almost five seconds at the finish.
FloTrack featured a story on Hernandez a couple weeks ago, as the runner spoke about his desire for more than record — he wanted a title. Well, sometimes dreams do come true after all.
The 2018 Division III Men’s Indoor Track & Field Mile National Champion! ? Congratulations Jeremy Hernandez of @RCNJAthletics! #d3tf pic.twitter.com/KG8HWnyLZQ
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) March 10, 2018
Dianna Johnson
Johnson set the facility record in the 60m, clocking a time of 7.26. The junior from Adams State is now the third-fastest performer in DII all-time behind Semoy Hackett and Barbara Pierre. Fast company.
Dianna Johnson defends her title! 7.26, Facility Record, 6th All-Time D2 History! pic.twitter.com/aYSdBy3Taq
— ASU Grizzlies (@ASUGrizzlies) March 10, 2018
Alicja Konieczek
In her last indoor meet for Western State, Konieczek won the mile, 3000m, and the distance medley relay at the DII championships. She posted times of 4:48.33 of 9:29.39 in the individual events and anchored the Western State team to a time of 11:19.98. That is the fourth-fastest time ever in DII.
6th national championship for Alicja Konieczek!! Mile in the books 4:48! pic.twitter.com/Ht1TlsWUb9
— Western Mountaineers (@WSCUMountaineer) March 11, 2018
Thomas Staines
Michael Saruni of UTEP wasn’t the only runner chasing NCAA records this season in the 800m. Staines set the DII record in the 800m (note: Drew Windle ran 1:46.52 for Ashland University in 2014 on an oversized track). The sophomore from CSU-Pueblo clocked a time of 1:47.23 and won by over 1.5 seconds.
SWISS ALPS WASSUP! pic.twitter.com/V69gUlsGyh
— Thomas Staines (@thomas_staines7) March 12, 2018
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