The track and field teams traveled to Minnesota State-Mankato for the NCAA Indoor National Championships Mar. 9-10.

The team had a very successful weekend bringing home plenty of hardware home. The AU team brought home a stellar 19 All-American citations, and one top 10 finish, with another outside the Top 10.

The Ashland men placed seventh in the meet as a team they combined for 29 points. Grand Canyon went home as national champions with 54 points. As for the women they finished 12th in the meet with a total of 20 points. However, a GLIAC team was able to win the national championship, Grand Valley State. The Lakers won the championship in a landslide effort finishing the weekend event with a total of 94 points.

Some highlights from the meet included the men’s 4×400 meter relay team placed fifth in the meet with a total time of 3:15.64. The relay consisted of sophomores Jacob Cook and Keith Cleveland, freshman Damian Winner, and junior Cory Lamar. Freshman Drew Windle placed sixth in the meet in the 800 meter race, finishing with a time of 1:54.03.

The biggest result for the men came from senior Ryan Loughney who won his second consecutive NCAA national title in the weight throw. He won the gold in a huge fashion, beating the next closest mark by 33 inches, with a throw of 72ft-10in.

Loughney was honored for his incredible year, receiving the national men’s field athlete of the year for the 2011-2012 indoor track and field season.

This is not the first time that Ashland University has won this award. This is the fifth time an Ashland thrower has been named men’s field athlete of the year.

Along with Ryan Loughney the other throwers on that list include Kibwe Johnson, Bryan Vickers, Kurt Roberts and Adriene Wilson.

For the women, senior Cheryl Bourne finished fourth in the pentathlon with 3881 points.

In the shot-put senior Kelly Ash placed eighth with a mark of 45-feet-8-inches. Jessica Bridenthal placed right behind her with a mark of 45-feet-3.75-inches.

The eagles have continued to puts their name as one of the top-tier Division II track and field programs in the nation.

Ashland University men finished with the most All-American citations this year with a total of 14.

The program will look to continue its success this spring in the outdoor season.