WAVERLY, Iowa - The Wartburg College men's and women's track & field teams both took first place in the DIII Elite Indoor Championships, hosted by the Knights March 12-13, 2021 at Hoover Fieldhouse.
The men totaled 107 team points to take first of 29 schools, besting rival Loras College with 100 points. The Wartburg women tallied 131.5 points, finishing over 50 points ahead of runner-up University of Dubuque and leading the field of 26 teams.
Â
Â
After day one of events on Friday, March 12, both Wartburg men and women sat in first place. The Knights' men's distance medley relay squad ofÂ
Matt Heinzman,Â
Wyatt Schmidt,Â
Dalton Martin, andÂ
Joe Freiburger highlighted day one competition, setting a new Wartburg indoor and Hoover Fieldhouse facility record with a time of 9:53.96. The time is the first to break 10 minutes in NCAA Division III this season and is a top-10 all-time DMR finish in DIII history and is the fastest on a 200-meter flat track.
During day two on Saturday, the Wartburg men and women combined for three first place finishes.Â
Freshman sprinterÂ
Deyton Love continued his prowess in the 60-meter hurdles, winning the event with a time of 8.18. Teammate
Dallas Wright followed with a second place time of 8.20.
Breya Christopher, the 2021 American Rivers high jump champion, followed up with a victory on Saturday, marking 5-5.Â
The men's 4x400-meter relay squad ofÂ
Dallas Wright,
Deyton Love,
Derrick Smith, and
Wyatt Schmidt finished first with a time of 3:16.00.
Additionally, the Knights reached the podium in two other events.
Wyatt Schmidt took third in the 800-meter run with a personal best time of 1:52.39. The top three finishers each broke the Hoover Fieldhouse facility record.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team of
Jackie Ganshirt,
Carson McSorley,
Brenna Jacobs, and
Taylan Olson finished third with a time of 3:55.33.Â
Wartburg's outdoor season begins May 31-April 1 at Loras College.
Â