CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The track and field athletes of NCAA Division III will make their way to Birmingham, Alabama this weekend for the division’s annual championship meet. Several American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) athletes will enter the meet as favorites for All-America honors and maybe even stand atop the awards podium. A total of 68 A-R-C competitors from seven teams look to cap their seasons with memorable performances. Birmingham CrossPlex is the venue with the City of Birmingham and Birmingham-Southern College as the host entities.
The Loras women are coming off their third-straight outdoor NCAA team title and last year’s indoor championship trophy looking to make another run to repeat as champions. Entering the meet as the No. 3-ranked team in the country, the Duhawks are led by
Marion Edwards and
Grace Alley, who both earned Most Valuable Performer honors in their respective events, track and field, during the 2023 A-R-C Indoor Track & Field Championships. Edwards has the fifth seed in the 60m dash and the 15th seed in the 200m entering the championship. Alley is seeded second in the pentathlon (3,681 points), third in the triple jump (12.10m), and eighth in high jump (1.7m) as she looks to earn three All-American honors at this year's championship.
Other top-five seeds on the women’s side are returning national champion from Nebraska Wesleyan
Isabella Hogue in the 60m dash (7.58 seed time) where she is ranked fourth. Hogue is ranked third in the 200m (24.49 seed time). Hogue’s teammate,
Ellie Akough, is seeded fourth in weight throw with a seed mark of 18.47m.
Loras’
Alyssa Pfadenhauer is looking to make her mark again at this year’s national championship being seeded third 400m (55.37 seed time) and the sixth ranked seed in the 4x400 relay team. For the Duhawks,
Harmony Creasy is seeded fourth in the long jump (5.84m seed mark). Creasy is also seeded 12th in the triple jump (11.91m seed mark). Teammate of Pfadenhauer and Creasy,
Grace Alley is seeded third in triple jump (12.10m seed mark) and is the second seed in the women’s pentathlon (3681 points). The junior, Alley, is ranked eighth in her third individual event of the championship, the high jump (1.70m). The final Duhawk seeded in the top-five is
Caitlyn Cox. Cox is seeded second in weight throw with a seed mark of 18.77m.
Lily Campbell for the Knights is seeded fifth in the 800m (2:11.57 seed time). Wartburg’s
Breya Christopher is seeded second in the high jump (1.75m seed mark) while also competing in the triple jump where she is seeded 11th (11.91m seed mark).
Dubuque’s
Kaitlyn Wilder is looking to defend her title in weight throw this season, where she is ranked eighth entering the championship (18.11m seed mark). Wilder is the third seeded athlete in the shot put with a seed mark of 14.71m. Buena Vista’s
Rebecca Simpson is looking to improve on the standings list this year at nationals, but begins the championship seeded fifth in shot put (14.64m seed mark) and tenth in weight throw (17.71m seed mark).
The A-R-C women’s teams are hoping to make some noise in the relay events at this year’s championship. Loras’ 4x400 relay team is composed a little differently entering the championship, but still looking to defend their national title from a year ago. Loras is seeded sixth with a seed time of 3:49.65. In the DMR, Wartburg is seeded fifth and Central is seeded tenth. The Knights return to the national championship with the same four athletes competing in the DMR that won the national championship during the event last year.
On the men’s side, Loras men are entering the championship ranked 2nd in the nation with hopes of winning their first indoor championship.
Loras’
Mike Jasa is seeded first in the 800m (1:48.78 seed time) as he tries to improve upon his fourth place finish just a year ago. Also competing alongside Jasa in the 800m, is
Carter Oberfoell, who is seeded fifth with a time of 1:50.40. Oberfoell is looking to run onto the podium this year after a 16th place finish last year. In the 400m,
Matt Kruse is seeded third for the Duhawks with a seed time of 47.57. Another top seeded Duhawk is
Derik Bunten in long jump with a seed mark of 7.58m. Bunten is also slated to compete in the 60m dash, where he is seeded 18th, with a time of 6.84.
Nebraska Wesleyan’s
Eli Etherton tied the conference record earlier this season in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.99, a time which now enters him into the championship as the top seed.
Wartburg’s
Christopher Collet is seeded fourth in the mile, with a seed time of 4:03.64. Collet is also seeded tenth in the 3000m, with a seed time of 8:08.21. The junior will also run the final leg of the Knights Distance Medley Relay.
Following an excellent conference championship, Simpson sends
Spencer Moon to Birmingham to compete in the 3000m and 5000m. Moon is seeded 12th and ninth, respectively, in those events.
Central’s
Sam Beatty is seeded third in high jump entering the championship (2.09m mark). Beatty is joined in Alabama with teammate
Lucas Heitz, who will compete in the men’s heptathlon. Heitz is seeded 15th (4811 points).
After setting a national record during the season, it is no surprise that the Loras Distance Medley Relay is seeded first entering the championship, with their record time of 9:39.80. The Duhawks finished third in this event at last year’s championship.
Looking to make noise again in the 4x400 relay, Nebraska Wesleyan is the top seed with a seed time of 3:12.53, Wartburg is seeded third (3:13.21), and seeded eleventh is Loras (3:15.21).
Follow along here throughout the weekend for updates on the American Rivers Conference student-athletes from Alabama.
| Men’s National Rankings |
|
Women’s National Rankings |
| No. 2 Loras |
No. 3 Loras |
| No. 11 Wartburg |
No. 9 Wartburg |
| No. 17 Nebraska Wesleyan |
No. 15 Nebraska Wesleyan |
| No. 25 Dubuque |
No. 21 Dubuque |
| NR. Central |
NR. Buena Vista |
| NR. Simpson |
NR. Central |
*Rankings as of 3.7.2023
**Rankings only include A-R-C teams participating in 2023 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
American Rivers Conference Women’s 2023 Indoor Track & Field Championship Participants
| Seed |
Name |
Year |
School |
Event |
Seed Time/Mark |
2022 NCAA Results |
All-American |
| 4 |
Isabella Hogue |
So. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
60m |
7.58 |
|
|
| 5 |
Marion Edwards |
Sr. |
Loras |
60m |
7.60 |
7th; 7.69 |
All-American |
| 3 |
Isabella Hogue |
So. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
200m |
24.49 |
1st; 24.66 |
National Champion |
| 15 |
Marion Edwards |
Sr. |
Loras |
200m |
24.80 |
13th; 25.49 |
|
| 3 |
Alyssa Pfadenahuer |
So. |
Loras |
400m |
55.37 |
1st; 55.52 |
National Champion |
| 5 |
Lily Campbell |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
800m |
2:11.57 |
13th; 2:14.90 |
|
| 8 |
Lexi Brown |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
Mile |
4:54.23 |
|
|
| 8 |
Aubrie Fisher |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
3000m |
9:39.79 |
13th; 10:01:15 |
|
| 15 |
Caroline McMartin |
So. |
Central |
3000m |
9:45.38 |
|
|
| 18 |
Lexi Brown |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
3000m |
9:46.39 |
|
|
| 12 |
Shaelyn Hostager |
So. |
Wartburg |
5000m |
17:02.70 |
|
|
| 6 |
|
|
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
3:49.65 |
1st; 3:36.45 |
National Champion |
|
Stevie Lamb |
Sr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Elly Burds |
Fr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Merryl Green |
Sr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Alyssa Pfadenhauer |
So. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
| 5 |
|
|
Wartburg |
DMR |
11:41.46 |
1st; 11:41.85 |
National Champion |
|
Ellie Meyer |
So. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Rachel Nagel |
So. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Haley Meyer |
Fr. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Aubrie Fisher |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
| 10 |
|
|
Central |
DMR |
11:46.75 |
|
|
|
Megan Johnson |
So. |
Central |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Abbi Roerdink |
So. |
Central |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Peyton Steffen |
Fr. |
Central |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Caroline McMartin |
So. |
Central |
DMR |
|
|
|
| 2 |
Breya Christopher |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
High Jump |
1.75m |
2nd; 1.73m |
All-American |
| 8 |
Grace Alley |
Jr. |
Loras |
High Jump |
1.70m |
|
|
| 13 |
Aaliyah Collier |
Fr. |
Loras |
High Jump |
1.68m |
16th; 1.56m |
|
| 4 |
Harmony Creasy |
So. |
Loras |
Long Jump |
5.84m |
|
|
| 7 |
Emma Seipel |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Long Jump |
5.75m |
12th; 5.39m |
|
| 3 |
Grace Alley |
Jr. |
Loras |
Triple Jump |
12.10m |
3rd; 12.03m |
All-American |
| 11 |
Breya Christopher |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
Triple Jump |
11.91m |
|
|
| 12 |
Harmony Creasy |
So. |
Loras |
Triple Jump |
11.91m |
|
|
| 16 |
De’ja Austin-Cherry |
So. |
Loras |
Triple Jump |
11.82m |
|
|
| 3 |
Kaitlyn Wilder |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Shot Put |
14.71m |
— |
|
| 5 |
Rebecca Simpson |
Sr. |
Buena Vista |
Shot Put |
14.64m |
12th; 13.26m |
|
| 2 |
Caitlyn Cox |
Fr. |
Loras |
Weight Throw |
18.77m |
|
|
| 4 |
Ellie Akough |
So. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
Weight Throw |
18.47m |
|
|
| 8 |
Kaitlyn Wilder |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Weight Throw |
18.11m |
1st; 19.28m |
National Champion |
| 10 |
Rebecca Simpson |
Sr. |
Buena Vista |
Weight Throw |
17.71m |
7th; 17.66m |
All-American |
| 11 |
Emma True |
So. |
Wartburg |
Weight Throw |
17.62m |
|
|
| 13 |
Haley Beminio |
So. |
Wartburg |
Weight Throw |
17.43m |
|
|
| 15 |
Abby Marr |
Jr. |
Central |
Weight Throw |
17.37m |
9th; 16.78m |
|
| 2 |
Grace Alley |
Jr. |
Loras |
Pentathlon |
3,681 points |
6th; 3,520 points |
All-American |
American Rivers Conference Men’s 2023 Indoor Track & Field Championship Participants
| Seed |
Name |
Year |
School |
Event |
Seed Time/Mark |
2022 NCAA Results |
All-American |
| 13 |
Josh Smith |
Sr. |
Loras |
60m |
6.81 |
9th; 6.85 |
|
| 18 |
Derick Bunten |
So. |
Loras |
60m |
6.84 |
|
|
| 12 |
Derrick Smith |
So. |
Wartburg |
200m |
21.56 |
|
|
| 3 |
Matt Kruse |
Fr. |
Loras |
400m |
47.57 |
|
|
| 1 |
Mike Jasa |
Sr. |
Loras |
800m |
1:48.78 |
4th; 1:52.78 |
All-American |
| 5 |
Carter Oberfoell |
Sr. |
Loras |
800m |
1:50.40 |
16th; 1:56.05 |
|
| 7 |
Garrett Lenners |
Jr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
800m |
1:50.76 |
|
|
| 8 |
Wyatt Schmidt |
Sr. |
Wartburg |
800m |
1:50.88 |
14th; 1:54.39 |
|
| 14 |
Andrew Hutchison |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
800m |
1:51.60 |
|
|
| 4 |
Christopher Collet |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
Mile |
4:03.64 |
3rd; 4:07.06 |
All-American |
| 6 |
Wyatt Kelly |
Sr. |
Loras |
Mile |
4:03.90 |
15th; 4:11.91 |
|
| 14 |
Ryan Harvey |
So. |
Loras |
Mile |
4:06.73 |
4th; 4:07.24 |
All-American |
| 16 |
Adam Sylvia |
Jr. |
Central |
Mile |
4:07.21 |
|
|
| 8 |
Christopher Collet |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
3000m |
8:08.21 |
20th; 8:50.94 |
|
| 12 |
Spencer Moon |
Jr. |
Simpson |
3000m |
8:10.09 |
10th; 8:24.58 |
|
| 9 |
Spencer Moon |
Jr. |
Simpson |
5000m |
14:07.35 |
|
|
| 1 |
Eli Etherton |
Jr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
60m Hurdles |
7.99 |
|
|
| 8 |
Blake Hardison |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
60m Hurdles |
8.10 |
9th; 8.19 |
|
| 11 |
Max Cleveland |
Jr. |
Simpson |
60m Hurdles |
8.12 |
|
|
| 12 |
Deyton Love |
So. |
Wartburg |
60m Hurdles |
8.13 |
4th; 8.06 |
|
| 1 |
|
|
Nebraska Wesleyan |
4x400m Relay |
3:12.53 |
|
|
|
Kyle Dickinson |
Sr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Ben Christenson |
Sr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Gabe Anderson |
Jr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Garrett Lenners |
Jr. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
Wartburg |
4x400m Relay |
3:13.21 |
10th; 3:21.35 |
|
|
Jensen Clapp |
So. |
Wartburg |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Frankie Atwater |
Fr. |
Wartburg |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Derrick Smith |
So. |
Wartburg |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Wyatt Schmidt |
Sr. |
Wartburg |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
| 11 |
|
|
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
3:15.21 |
3rd; 3:17.77 |
All-American |
|
Josh Smith |
Sr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Matt Marcum |
Fr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Easton Stackis |
Fr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
|
Matt Kruse |
Fr. |
Loras |
4x400m Relay |
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
|
Loras |
DMR |
9:39.80 |
3rd; 9:54.50 |
All-American |
|
Wyatt Kelly |
Sr. |
Loras |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Ted Kruse |
So. |
Loras |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Mike Jasa |
Sr. |
Loras |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Ryan Harvey |
So. |
Loras |
DMR |
|
|
|
| 7 |
|
|
Wartburg |
DMR |
9:45.69 |
10th; 10:10.47 |
|
|
Jack Kinzer |
So. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Jensen Clapp |
So. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Wyatt Schmidt |
Sr. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
|
Christopher Collet |
Jr. |
Wartburg |
DMR |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Sam Beatty |
Jr. |
Central |
High Jump |
2.09m |
8th; 2.00m |
All-American |
| 12 |
Jatavion Hawkins |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
High Jump |
2.04m |
|
|
| 16 |
Raymond Venditti |
Jr. |
Loras |
High Jump |
2.04m |
|
|
| 1 |
Derik Bunten |
So. |
Loras |
Long Jump |
7.58m |
|
|
| 16 |
Carter Berkey |
Sr. |
Simpson |
Long Jump |
7.22m |
|
|
| 20 |
Morgan Conner |
So. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
Long Jump |
7.21m |
|
|
| 18 |
Jaidyn Williams |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Triple Jump |
14.42m |
|
|
| 7 |
Cade Collier |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Shot Put |
16.62m |
9th; 15.32m |
|
| 18 |
Clayton Hahn |
Sr. |
Dubuque |
Shot Put |
16.13m |
|
|
| 8 |
Holden Murphy |
So. |
Loras |
Weight Throw |
18.84m |
|
|
| 18 |
Cade Collier |
Jr. |
Dubuque |
Weight Throw |
18.52m |
|
|
| 15 |
Lucas Heitz |
Jr. |
Central |
Heptathlon |
4,811 points |
16th; 4,476 points |
|
| 19 |
Dalton Closson |
Sr. |
Wartburg |
Heptathlon |
4,779 points |
17th; 4,474 points |
|
