Campbell Claims Third National Championship
The 2023 NAIA Indoor National Championships went into Day 2 in Brookings, S.D., for the men's and women's track and field teams. The Tigers crowned NAIA All-Americans on both sides on Friday including one national champion.
The men's weight throw was where the eyes of Tiger nation started on Friday as Matthew Campbell was looking to become the program's first three-time national champion in an indoor throwing event. Not only did Campbell's performance meet expectations, the Tiger throwers took center stage on the day.
On his second throw of the meet, Campbell unleashed a throw of 20.65m (67-09) to move into first place. The throw held up over the next four attempts to give him his third-consecutive NAIA National Championship. He is the first to three-peat in the event since Azusa Pacific's Ade Olukoji accomplished the feat from 1988-90.
Trey Dickey and Luke Partridge advanced to the finals to put themselves in position to earn All-American honors. On his first throw of finals, Dickey threw a personal best 19.61m (64-04) to move into third place. Partridge hit a personal best throw of 19.05m (62-06) on his second throw of finals (fifth overall) to take over fourth place and give Doane a 1-3-4 finish in the event to accumulate 21 team points. Jaedon Lothrop added a personal best throw of 17.90m (58-08.75) to finish 10th overall.
Carter Reckling and Dylan Starr each cleared 1.96m (6-05.25) in the high jump as they placed 16th and 20th, respectively, based on jump attempts.
On the track for the men, Zach Turner advanced to the finals of the 60m hurdles on Saturday as he ran the fourth-fastest time of 8.00.
JaDae Moore placed 27th in the 60m dash with a time of 6.91. Kalen Dockweiler was 17th in the 1,000m run with a time of 2:30.52.
The Doane men lead the team standings with 21 points.
In women's action, the weight throw once again took center stage for the Tigers. Macy Fuller advanced to the final and was sitting in seventh heading into the final three throws. On her second throw in the finals, she uncorked a toss of 17.45m for a new personal best. However, she wasn't done and on the final throw of her meet, she hit 17.60m (57-09) for a 18-inch improvement on her mark entering the championships.
Also hitting a personal best on the day was Kennedy Stanley in the pole vault. She saw a six-inch improvement from the mark she had hit all season long. Constantly clearing 3.42m this season, Kennedy surpassed that height as she cleared 3.57m (11-08.50) and finished 15th overall.
Annika Pingel advanced to the finals of the 800m run on Saturday as she posted the fifth-fastest time of 2:14.97.
In the 60m hurdles, Josie Garrett placed 32nd with a time of 9.10.
Action continues on Saturday for the Tigers. Six Tigers will be in competition in the field events while Turner and Pingel join the 4x400m relay team in advancing to the finals of their races on the track.