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Day 1 of NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Championship completed
March 2, 2023

Day 1 of NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Championship completed

BROOKINGS, S.D. – [RESULTS] The 43rd annual NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships completed their first day Thursday at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.  It was the fifth straight year that Dakota State (S.D.) served as its host and the fourth time in the past five years that the national meet was held at Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.

 

The 2023 national indoor track & field meet started with the pentathlon, long-distance running events, and relay races.

 

  • Two-time defending champion Indiana Tech grabbed an early lead with 10 points, thanks to Jaunita Webster-Freeman with a record-setting fashion in the pentathlon.
  • Webster-Freeman captured the top marks/times in all five events, where she led from start to finish.  She racked up 1,017 points in the 60-meter hurdles and 855 points in the high jump.
  • She slashed the championship meet record in the pentathlon shot put, where she tossed 14.58 meters (47 feet, 10 inches) on her final attempt (previous record held by Gretchin Kotschwar of Doane, Neb. in 1997 with 13.29 meters toss – 43 feet, 7.25 inches).
  • Webster-Freeman’s lead continued to grow after claiming the top long jump mark of 5.72 meters (18 feet, 9.25 inches) and finished with the top time in the 800-meter run in 2:22.67.
  • Webster-Freeman accumulated 4,258 points to set the NAIA championship meet record for the Warriors.  She slashed the previous record held by Akela Jones of Oklahoma Baptist with 4,153 points in 2014.
  • Erin Oleksak of Marian (Ind.), who won the NAIA Indoor pentathlon titles in 2020 and 2022, finished second with 3,769 points (her national-best pentathlon total points).  Kaitlyn McColly of Dickinson State (N.D.) finished third with 3,652 points.
  • The 5000-meter run semifinals featured 35 total runners in the field, with 12 runners advancing to Saturday’s finals at 3:35 p.m. (Central Time).  Lina May of William Carey (Miss.) was the fastest runner in the semifinals, clocking a time of 17 minutes and 20.39 seconds. 
  • Thursday’s meet consisted of three relay events.  The top two teams in each heat (3 total heats) and the next two fastest times secured a spot in the national finals.
  • A total of 21 teams competed in the 4 x 800-meter relay.  Grace (Ind.), Dordt (Iowa), and Indiana Tech each won the heat and secured a spot in the national final Friday evening at 5:35 p.m. (CT).
  • Life (Ga.) registered the top time in the 4 x 400-meter relay semifinals in 3 minutes, 43.40 seconds.  The 4 x 400-meter relay national final is scheduled for Saturday at 4:55 p.m. (CT)
  • The day wrapped up with the distance medley relay (DMR) with Huntington (Ind.) with the top time in 11 minutes, 50.93 seconds.  The DMR national final is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. (CT) Saturday.

A total of five national event titles will be crowned on Friday as the action continues with the women’s 3000-meter racewalk at 10:30 a.m. (CT).  The first field event is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with the long jump.  Pole vault and weight throw are scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT).

 

Numerous semifinal running events are set to start at 12 p.m. (CT) with the 1-mile run.