Saints Track & Field Set for NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

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Men's Track and Field | 05/20/25 | 7:57 AM

Marion, Ind. – Twenty Fighting Saints have traveled to compete at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Indiana Wesleyan University on Wednesday May 21 through Friday May 23.

For the men, 7 individuals and 1 relay are qualified and competing. This includes Tucker Monaco (Decathlon), Carson Krack (Decathlon), Reuben Hornby (Javelin), Weston Means (High Jump), Josh Smalley (Pole Vault), Brycen Gardner (3000m Steeplechase), Zack Gacnik (10,000m, 5,000m), and the 4x800m Relay (Jack Jensen, Peter Rehberger, Oliver Morris, Wyatt Ehredt, Luke Decker). For the women, 3 individuals and 1 relay have qualified. The individuals are Brynn Wandle (Pole Vault), Claire Bucklin (400m Hurdles), and Madalen Shipman (800m). The 4x800m Relay includes Ellie Baxter, Nikki Nau, Sorren Reese, and Katelyn Christensen, with Anna Terry as alternate.

The 10,000m will be a timed final. In the 400m Hurdles, Bucklin will run in the 3rd of 3 heats with the top 2 placers and next 3 fastest times reaching the final. For the Men's 4x800m Relay, there will be 4 heats and the top finisher and next 5 fastest times will make the final Thursday. The Carroll relay will be in the 2nd heat. On the women's side, there will be 3 heats with Carroll in the 1st. The top 2 placers and next 3 times will advance. In the 3000m Steeplechase, the top 5 in each of 2 heats and the next 4 fastest will advance from the semi to Friday's final. Gardner will run in the 1st heat. For Thursday's 800m semi, the top finisher in each of 4 heats and the next 5 fastest times will move to Friday's Final. Shipman is in the 2nd heat. Finally, for the 5,000m, Gacnik will run in the 1st of 2 heats where the first 6 placers and next 4 fastest times will move on to the final Friday.

Several Saints qualifiers are ranked in the Top 10 nationally: Krack (1st - Decathlon), Monaco (4th - Decathlon), Means (4th - High Jump), Smalley (4th - Pole Vault), Gardner (5th - 3000m Steeplechase), and Wandle (9th - Pole Vault). The athletes will strive to maintain their positions with goals of scoring in the Top 8 and earning All-American status. Multiple other Carroll qualifiers are ranked in the Top 20 with strong potential to move into the Top 8 as well.

The Saints' event schedule is as follows (times adjusted to Mountain Time from Eastern):

WEDNESDAY

8:00 am Decathlon (Krack, Monaco)

10:00 am Pole Vault (Wandle)

2:00 pm Javelin (Hornby)

2:30 pm 400m Hurdles (Bucklin)

4:15 pm Women's 4x800 Semi (Baxter, Nau, Reese, Christensen)

4:50 pm Men's 4x800 Semi (Ehredt, Morris, Rehberger, Jensen)

5:55 pm Steeplechase Semi (Gardner)

7:10 pm 10k Final (Gacnik)

THURSDAY

8:00 am Decathlon (Krack, Monaco)