DAY ONE RECAP

COLUMBIA, S.C. - For the first time in team history, the women of Grace's track and field team are now national champions.

The Lady Lancers won the 2023 NCCAA Outdoor National Championship on Friday, marking the first women's track title. The men finished as the national runners-up after collecting the national championship in each of the past two seasons.

The women's title marks the 15th national championship in school history, 13 of which have come since 2019. Grace's staff was named the NCCAA National Coaching Staff of the Year on the women's side.

Kylie Sauder, Heather Plastow and Anna Hulstedt had impressive afternoons. Sauder won individual titles in both the 1,500-meter race (4:35.53) and the 800 (2:14.39). Her 1,500 time bettered her own school record.

Plastow was runner-up in both (4:40.73, 1500m; 2:14.63, 800m), while Hulstedt was right behind in third place in each race (4:48.28, 1500m; 2:15.69, 800m).

Additionally, Sauder and Hulstedt were part of a third national title when they ended the day in the 4x400 relay, winning alongside Olivia Adkins and Tara Friesen in a time of 3:58.72.

The 1,500 saw Grace earn the top-six finishers, including the 1-2-3 trio of Sauder, Plastow and Hulstedt. Friesen, Addison Grady and Morgan Welch rounded out the top-six in the nation.

Friesen also nabbed fifth in the 800 (2:21.34) with Welch finishing sixth (2:21.56).

The men's team also dominated the 1,500 race. Grace had five of the first six finishers, led by Dimitri Margaritidis's national title-winning time of 3:47.30 (another school record). Korry Hamlin was second (3:53.49), and Brady Hunsberger was third (3:58.38), followed by Bryan Hernandez-Rios in fifth and Luke Smith in sixth.

The men also scored big in the 800. Tanner Sallee won the 800 title (1:52.92), Margaritidis was the runner-up in 1:53.73, and Logan Rufenacht was third (1:54.72). Hunsberger finished fourth (1:55.49), Smith was sixth (1:56.09), and Carter Clear was seventh (1:56.26).

Katie Acker won a national title in the steeplechase, breaking the tape in a time of 11:31.00; Kate Hornocker was seventh in the race (12:30.52).

The Lancers began Saturday with strong finishes in the 5,000-meter run. Cole Johnston was the national runner-up with a time of 15:18.74, and Hayden Mullett placed seventh in 16:15.24.

In the women's 5,000, Grace finished fourth, fifth and sixth. Mallory Hiatt was Grace's first finisher in 18:36.00, followed by Esther Cameron (18:36.93) and Madelyn Skidmore (19:27.62).

The men's 4x400 relay team earned All-American status (top-three finish) by claiming third. Smith, Margaritidis, Maurice Macklin and Sallee finished in 3:20.86, including a dynamic anchor leg from Sallee to pass up an opponent and secure third in the final stretch.

In the men's steeplechase, Grace had the No. 5-7 finishers. Luke Nier (10:09.13), Dakota Ames (10:12.00) and Caden Ringer (10:15.09) each earned points for Grace.

Two Lancers placed in the men's shot put, including Zaryn Rumfelt in third (14.73 meters) and Brock Lengacher in sixth (13.71).

Malia Butler earned a point by placing eighth in the long jump (4.99), and Emma Lehman grabbed fourth place in the pole vault.

The women's 4x100 relay (Madelyn Yoder, Olivia Adkins, Zoey Huley, Butler) finished in fifth place, and the men's squad was seventh (Ethan Cummins, Josh Pike, Kye Barrett, Michael Williams).

In the men's hammer, Brock Lengacher placed fifth (43.42) followed by Ethan Brown's eighth-place finish (40.78).

Noah Zimmerman ended in fourth place for the men's long jump (6.57), and Adkins was fifth in the women's 400 (59.69).

To see the full meet results from NCCAAs, click here.

Grace will then wrap up the outdoor season at the 2023 NAIA Outdoor National Championships, hosted by Indiana Wesleyan on May 24-26.


LEE LAST CHANCE MEET

At the Lee University Last Chance Meet, Grace sent a few runners to compete on Saturday.

Heather Plastow highlighted the performance when she managed to hit an NAIA "A" standard. She ran a personal-best time of 4:35.57 in the 1,500.

Cole Johnston ran a 15:35.70 in the 5,000-meter run, and Korry Hamlin clocked a time of 4:03.03 in the 1,500.

The full results from Lee can be seen here.