PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Augustana track & field teams had an electric opening day at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas, on Friday night. The opening day was highlighted by two school records, two relay teams earning All-America honors, two Vikings advancing to finals on Saturday and a lead going into the second day of the heptathlon.
"We had a great day one at the indoor national championship," director of track & field/cross country Tracy Hellman said. "We had to battle to get into the finals and Woelber had a great day in the Heptathlon.
"Finishing with both relays earning All-America honors was a great way to finish day one and we are excited for day two."
The women's distance medley relay capped off a stellar night at the national championships by breaking the school record by almost five seconds en route to a sixth-place finish, earning All-America honors.
The relay of Patty Jo English, Ella Heinitz, Cami Streff and Nicolette Schmidt ran a time of 11:30.84 to place sixth overall.
This is the second-straight year for English, Streff and Schmidt earning All-America honors in the distance medley relay.
The men's distance medley relay also earned All-America honors with its sixth-place finish.
The relay team of Evan Johnson, Matthew Schoessow, Austin Miller and Ryan Hartman were a second shy of the school record they set earlier this season at the Robert W. Plaster Center, clocking in at 9:40.73.
Patty Jo English broke the school record in the women's mile en route to qualifying for Saturday's final. English had a good start, finding herself in the top two spots for about the first half of the race. She fell back ever so slightly before kicking it in over the final 300m to ensure her a spot in the mile final, Saturday at 5:50 p.m. by placing third in her heat.
Also in the mile was Nicolette Schmidt, who was also in the mix early before ultimately finishing sixth in her heat and 12th overall to earn Second Team All-America in a new personal best time of 4:50.13.
In the men's mile, Austin Miller put on a show for the crowd in the first heat. Miller stayed true to his racing, allowing himself to be in a position to put the afterburners on at the right time. With 300m to go, Miller was in eighth place. However, that shouldn't have worried Viking fans as Miller made a decisive move at the bell lap, closing the final 300m in 39.97, the fastest final lap in either of the two heats, to punch his ticket into the mile finals Saturday at 5:40 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Tyl Woelber started the championships by completing four events in the men's heptathlon. He earned 819 points in the 60m dash, running close to his personal best time at 7.18. Woelber earned valuable points in the long jump with two efforts at the same distance, jumping 23-7.25 on both his second and third attempt to take second in the field, granting 859 points.
Woelber garnered a fourth-place finish in the shot put, with his first attempt heave of 44-9.25, earning him 707 points. He saved the best for last in the high jump, tying for the best jump in the field, clearing 6-10.25 to earn 887 points
Heading into day two, Woelber sits in first place with 3,272 points.
In the women's 800m, Cami Streff found herself in the fastest of three heats, with the heat winner running 2:08.12, Streff placed sixth in the heat and 18th overall running 2:13.41.
Mearah Miedema placed 13th in the high jump, clearing 5-5.75.
Woelber will return for the second day of the heptathlon with the 60m hurdles starting at noon. Miller and English will be returning for the mile finals slated for 5:40 p.m. (men's mile) and 5:50 p.m. (women's mile), respectively. All the action can be viewed at GoAugie.com/Live.
–GoAugie.com–
