The NCAA national championships are no strange place for Ashland University Track and Field to be.

Both the men and women’s squads have earned national recognition all season long. Both were ranked in the top five nationally, with several athletes leading or near the top of the national ranks in their respective events. 

On March 14-15 in Winston-Salem, NC, the Eagles showed that they were more than deserving of the recognition they had receive this indoor season, finishing with national championships in individual events and podium finishes in the team competition.

The men’s team finished third after two days of competition with 48 team points. Points were awarded by how athletes finished in each event, with 10 points being the maximum amount to a national champion. AU finished behind national champion St. Augustine (84.5 points) and runner-up Adams State (83 points).

The third place finish for Ashland follows a runner-up finish that the team had at indoor nationals a year ago.

The men’s team captured two national championships on the weekend, both in track events. Drew Windle defended his title in the 800m last year with another first place finish, running a time of 1:49.73. 

Windle was a member of the distance medley team that took the national title as well. Windle, Jacob Cook, Joshua Davis, and Brian Baum ran a collective time of 9:49.10.

Other notable track performances for the men’s team included Elijah Owens placing fifth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.97. Brian Baum took eighth place in the mile, running it in 4:16.44. 

The men’s 4×400 relay of Owens, Waquiem Comar, Windle, and Cook took fifth place. 

The Eagles had several place in field events as well. Zac Ball was runner-up in the weight throw with a mark of 70-8.5. Jared Conklin finished fifth (63-3.5) and James Clay Harris took eighth (61-10.75). 

Shot put thrower Donald Duke finished in third place with a top mark of 62-4. 

As for the women’s team, the Eagles placed fifth with a total of 30 points. Adams State won the title with 67 points. 

Jessica Bridenthal had a great competition for AU, taking the national title in the weight throw and placing second in the shot put. She threw 64-8 in the weight throw and 51-8.25 in the shot. 

Bridenthal had held the top mark in the weight throw entering the competition. 

Also placing in the shot put for the Eagles was Jamie Sindelar. She took fifth place, throwing 50-7.25. 

Other athletes to place for the women’s team include Jennifer Foster and Jennifer Bjelac, Foster took fourth place in the high jump with a leap of 5-10.5. 

Bjelac added two eighth-place finishes. She placed in the pentathlon with 3702 points and again in the long jump with a mark of 18-7.25. 

Despite great success in the indoor competition, the focus for AU track and field now turns to outdoors. The men’s team was runner up in outdoor team competition behind St. Augustine’s last season, and the women finished ranked seventh in the national polls. 

The outdoor season will begin on March 29 in Columbia, SC at the Weems Baskin Invitational.