MARION, Ind. – The men’s 4x800m relay highlighted the opening day of the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships for LC State on Wednesday with a program record and secured a spot in the final. In all, the Warriors had four relays run on day one and four individuals competed.
“It is easy at this point in the season and evaluate performances as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ but there is so much more to it than that,” Head Coach Mike Collins said. “Yes, we had some good performances today and some that could have been better. The problem is that sometimes you have good performances, but they just aren’t good enough to get you to the next round, level or good enough for the win. That is really how I feel about today. I don’t think we had a bad performance all day. But what was good needed to be great, and we just weren’t great in the spots that needed it.”
A group of Warriors capped their career on the national stage including Brycen Brown, Brooklyn Shell, and Kea Stieglitz.
“A few seniors seeing their last collegiate competitions today,” Collins added. “I can’t say thank you enough for all their work and sacrifice for the team. They have made us, and me, better in their time here. Hopefully, they will continue to do that in all their endeavors.”
The men’s 4x800m squad of Kobe Wessels, Conner May, Griffen Parsells, and Carter Gordon set the LC State record in the event and placed third in the prelims with a time of 7:35.30. The time carries the group into Thursday’s final with a shot at All-American status on the line.
On the women’s side, the quartet of Grace Tiegs, Aubree Williams, Shell and Geraldin Correa placed 12th with the second-best time in program history at 9:17.26. Parsells, Gordon, and Correa will each compete in the individual 800m prelims on Thursday.
Both LC State 4x100m relays were in action to start the day. The women’s team of Madigan Kelly, Emily Collins, Anika Grogan, and Karissa Lindner placed 17th (47.49), and the men’s team of Jedidiah Barnaby, Jordan Castillo, Trenton Johnson, and Preston Cooper ran the third-best time ever by LC State (42.10) to place 27th.
Kelly went on to place 15th in the 400m hurdles (1:03.99) and will run in the 100m hurdles on Thursday.
Jennah Carpenter placed 14th in the long jump (5.54m) and will take part in the high jump on Saturday. Senior Stieglitz was 22nd in the javelin (38.58m).
“The wind really hurt Kea in the javelin as the conditions changed from the start of the first flight to the third, which she was in,” Collins explained. “Made it tough for everyone in the third flight as compared to the first. Can’t control it, but unfortunate, nonetheless.”
Brown capped his Warrior career with a 32nd-place finish in the 3,000m steeplechase. He clocked a time of 9:48.16.
The action continues on Thursday with six individuals competing. The men’s 4x800m relay will race in the final at 3:30 p.m. PT, and the women’s 4x400m relay will run its prelim to cap the day.
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5/22/2024 | Alisha Alexander | Assistant Athletics Director-Sports Information
