WAVERLY, Iowa—The Wartburg indoor track and field programs open the 2022-23 season at home at the annual Chelsey M. Henkenius Open Saturday, Jan. 14. Field events begin at 11 a.m. and running events begin at noon.
Last Season
The women placed sixth and the men placed 16
th at last year's NCAA indoor national championships. The women's distance medley relay team of
Aubrie Fisher,
Carson McSorley,
Ellie Meyer and Taylan Olson won the national championship. Other All-Americans included:
Christopher Collet, mile (3rd); Joe Freiburger, 5,000 (8th);
Deyton Love, 60m hurdles (4th); Dallas Wright, 60m hurdles (8th), Jackie Ganshirt, 400 (4th); and
Breya Christopher, high jump (2nd).
The Knights took second on both the men's and women's' side at the Indoor Conference Championships. Wartburg won seven events, which included three by Dallas Wright (60m hurdles, 200, 400).
Season Preview
"We have a good group of returners with experience and great group of newcomers," said Wartburg's Director of Cross Country and Track and Field,
Marcus Newsom, at the annual preseason press conference. "Our goals never change from year to year; we expect to win the conference championship and expect to be top four teams and trophy at both the indoor and outdoor national meets."
"Our expectations are high for our student-athletes," he continued. "Last year, I felt like we had a lot of success at the national championships but fell short in some aeas. On the men's side, it was the stress of trying to defend the 2021 national title as our men felt the pressure that they had to win it. Now we are taking it one day at a time."
The 2023 indoor national championships will take place in Birmingham, Ala. on a banked track. Newsom sees this surface as presenting some challenges, as Division III facilities are usually flat tracks. To prepare his runners, some of the top athletes will compete at the University of Iowa and Boston University meets, as those facilities have banked tracks.
Wartburg's schedule features three home meets and away meets at NCAA Division I, DII, and DIII opponents.
